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2½ Kati - Sugarloaf Ingot
| Issuer | |
|---|---|
| Year | 1500-1700 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Cast |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Convex domed field rising from a recessed square border, presenting the characteristic sugarloaf profile of this Southeast Asian proto-monetary ingot type. Incised hatching across the central raised surface stylistically evokes the serrated dentition of a cowrie shell, the traditional currency unit these ingots were intended to supplant or supplement. The cast surface displays the natural flow lines and granular texture inherent to the tin-lead alloy, with no inscriptions or legends present. The irregular square outline reflects casting in an open mold, with flash and minor casting seams visible along the edges. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Flat to slightly concave reverse surface with a heavily textured, rough-cast finish characteristic of open mold casting techniques employed in Southeast Asian proto-monetary production. The field displays prominent flow lines, pitting, and surface crystallization typical of a tin-lead alloy cooling within a square mold cavity. A shallow central depression or sprue mark is discernible near the center of the field. No inscriptions, symbols, or decorative devices are present; the reverse serves purely as the mold-contact face of the ingot. |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
Sugarloaf ingots of this type circulated as de facto currency across Southeast Asian trade networks when coined money was scarce or distrusted. The tin-lead composition places this squarely within the Malay Peninsula's smelting tradition, where Perak and Patani producers supplied regional markets with standardized cast pieces measured against the kati, a weight unit that varied enough between ports to require careful re-assaying at each transaction.
The two-century attribution reflects genuine uncertainty — these were produced continuously by multiple centers with little administrative oversight and almost no documentary record.