Brunei pitis facts for kids

The pitis was a type of money used in Brunei a long time ago. The last pitis coins were made in 1868, but people kept using them well into the 1900s. Some people also called it picil, and other versions were known as kue or paku, which means "piece." Later, the pitis was replaced by the Straits dollar in Brunei. One Straits dollar was worth 4,000 pitis or 800 paku, and it was equal to the Spanish dollar.

A Look Back: The History of Pitis

Before coins were used in Brunei, people traded things using Cowrie shells for small purchases. Brunei was also known for its bronze teapots, which were used like money to trade goods along the coast of North Borneo.

Early Money: Chinese Coins

The first coins used in Brunei were Chinese coins. These were the first coins to be called "pitis" in Brunei. People probably started using them when the Chinese began trading with Brunei between the 800s and 1100s.

When Antonio Pigafetta, who was Ferdinand Magellan's writer, visited Brunei in 1521, he wrote about the money. He said, "The money is made out of bronze pierced in the middle in order that it may be strung. On each side of it are four Chinese characters... We call the money picils." He was talking about the pitis.

Brunei Makes Its Own Coins

In the 1500s, Brunei started making its very own money. These coins were called pitis. To tell them apart, the older Chinese "pitis" coins were then called kue. Chinese coins continued to be used in Brunei until the late 1800s.

Besides pitis and kue, silver Spanish dollars were also used. One Spanish dollar was worth 4,000 pitis. Even iron bars were used as money! One hundred small, flat, inch-square pieces of iron were worth one dollar. Tiny cannons, about 6 inches to a foot long, were also used as money. Imagine paying with a miniature cannon!

The Straits Dollar Arrives

In 1906, the ruler of Brunei, Sultan Hashim, agreed to have a British official called a Resident in Brunei. He also agreed that the Straits dollar should be used. This currency was already used by the British in places like Malaya, Singapore, Sabah, and Sarawak. Even after the Straits dollar was introduced, people still used the older local money for a while, but with different exchange rates. All the old pitis coins were then called paku. Eight paku were equal to one cent, or kayu. However, officially, 4,000 pitis still equaled one dollar.

What Did Pitis Coins Look Like?

Brunei's first coins were made from a mix of tin and lead. There were about three main types. The very first ones had a simple, flowery design without any names. After that, coins were made for sultans whose names weren't on the coins, but their royal titles were. Finally, coins with the actual names of sultans were made. These coins were produced from about the 1500s to the 1800s.

Coins of Unnamed Sultans

Coins from the unnamed sultans had their royal titles printed on them. Some titles included Malikul-Adil (meaning "The Just Sultan") and Malikul-Thahir (meaning "The Victorious Sultan"). Even though the titles were general, some people think these coins might have belonged to Sultan Hassan, who ruled from 1605 to 1620.

Coins with Dates and Names

The first pitis coin in Brunei with a clear date was made by Sultan Abdul Momin. He ruled from 1853 to 1885. This coin was mostly made of lead with some tin. On the front, it showed the Royal umbrellas and other Brunei state symbols. It also had a message that said, "By order of the State Financial Administration of Brunei, in the year of the Prophet 1285." The year 1285 according to the Prophet's calendar (called Hijrah or AH 1285) is the same as the year AD 1868. These coins came in two sizes: half pitis and one pitis.

The last sultan to make his own coin was Sultan Hashim. He issued the "star coin" in 1886. The coin showed the year AH 1304, which was 1886 AD. These coins were made of bronze in Birmingham, England. On the front, they had a star inside a circle with Arabic writing around it. On the back, there was a "1" inside a circle with "SULTANATE OF BRUNEI 1304" written around it.

See also

• Brunei dollar
• Coins of the Brunei dollar
• Kelantan keping
• Trengganu keping