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1 copper coin 'Jambi Lion'
| Issuer | Melayu Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Year | 1000-1350 |
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| Composition | Bronze |
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| Obverse description | Central field dominated by a stylised lion passant in relief, depicted in profile facing left with a prominently arched back, raised foreleg, and an elaborate curling tail extending upward over the body. The lion's head is shown with a open mouth and schematised mane rendered in a bold, archaic artistic convention characteristic of medieval Southeast Asian coinage. A row of pellets or script characters is visible along the left margin of the flan, likely constituting a partial legend. The flan is thick and dumpy, with an irregular, slightly serrated edge typical of hammered medieval Sumatran issues. |
|---|---|
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| Mintage | ND (1000-1350) - Bronze, flan group 1 (Thick, dumpy pieces) - ND (1000-1350) - Bronze, flan group 2 (Thinner, light pieces) - ND (1000-1350) - Bronze, flan group 3 (Serrated edge pieces) - ND (1000-1350) - Debased silver (Flan group 2) - |
| Additional information |
The so-called "Jambi Lion" coinages are among the most debated issues in Southeast Asian numismatics. Attributed to the Melayu Kingdom centered on the Batang Hari river basin in Sumatra, they circulated during a period when Jambi was contesting regional dominance with Srivijaya — and at times absorbing what remained of it. The broad date range reflects genuine scholarly disagreement, not carelessness.
Bronze coinage of this type was almost certainly influenced by contact with Indian mercantile networks, though the iconographic vocabulary became distinctly local in execution.