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Auction: 6018 - The Coinex Sale
Lot: 1160

Malaya, British North Borneo, Sulu, pattern Cent 1295 A.H. (1879 A.D.), square in centre both sides (for a central hole, but this pattern is not pierced), Arabic legends in four compartments, edge plain, extremely fine with lustre, extremely rare Estimate £ 1,000-1,500The Sulu Archipelago of the Philippine Islands extends between Mindanao and Borneo and separates the Sulu Sea from the Celebes Sea. The largest island is Jolo. The Sultans of Sulu claimed sovereign rights over the north-east coast of Borneo from Boeloengan to Marudu Bay and over the north-west coast as far as Pandasan. In January 1878 Sultan Jamulal A´lam of Sulu transferred his sovereignty over all the lands lying between Soboeku and the Pandasan river to Baron von Overbeck, Austro-Hungarian Consul at Hong Kong and at one time the local manager of the China Opium firm of Dent and Company. Overbeck withdrew from the enterprise in early 1879 leaving Alfred Dent and his London associates the owners of a large territory. Sometime in 1879 Dent must have ordered designs for a copper coinage from Ralph Heaton and Sons. However, before any coins were struck, Dent became involved in the negotiations to form a new company. On 1 November 1881 the British North Borneo Company was established, and the territory granted by the Sultan of Sulu was transferred to the new Company. Heaton received an order from the new Company for a coinage of two million Cents. These coins were struck and bear the date 1882. The Pattern Cent offered here, together with Pattern Half and Quarter Cents, is illustrated on plate XI in a handbook published by The Mint, Birmingham, Ltd (formerly Ralph Heaton and Sons). The background to these patterns is fully discussed by F. Pridmore in the Spink Numismatic Circular. September 1979, pp.378-380.

Sold for
£900