James Brooke arrival to Sarawak in 1839 changed the history of Sarawak coinage. When Sultan of Brunei granted James Brooke the title "Rajah of Sarawak", officially making him governor and ruler of Sarawak in August 18, 1842, he start to introduced a keping token which show the badger or brock on the obverse with his initials J.B (James Brooke).
He ordered a quantity of kepings from a small private mint in Birmingham with help from a trading company based in London and Birmingham, Messrs Smith & Wright. The coin reverse was struck from an old worn out die bearing the denomination "satu keping" (one keping) in Arabic and the date 1247A.H (1831) which had been used earlier for the striking of the Singapore Merchant Token.
They were struck in copper or brass, the later being the scarcer variety, although both versions are rare. Counterfeit of the Sarawak 1841 keping came on to the market in 1971 and have since caused many a headache to collectors.
Many people believe that the token is to commemorate the day James Brooke received the land and title "Rajah of Sarawak" from Pengiran Muda Hashim.
Rajah James Brooke 1 keping coin
Technical Specifications:
Denomination: 1 keping
Issued By: James Brooke, Sarawak
Year: 1841
Mint: ?
Shape: Round
Material:Brass, Copper
Dimensions: 21.5 mm (Diameter)
Weight: 1.75 g
Coin Edge:Plain
References: KM#Tn1 (copper), KM# Tn1a (brass).
When James Brooke returned to England in 1863, he was knighted by Queen Victoria and Britain recognized Sarawak as an independent state. He also returned to England to order a full series of Sarawak coins. He arranged for copper coins with the denominations of 1/4, 1/2 and 1 Cent to be struck in Ralph Heaton Mint with the help of his British agents Buchanan, Hamilton & Co. The dies for these coins as well as the later copper coinage of 1870 were engraved by Joseph Moore.
Rajah James Brooke 1/4 cent coin
Technical Specifications:
Denomination: 1/4 Cent
Issued By: James Brooke, Sarawak
Year: 1863
Shape: Round
Material: Copper
Dimensions: 18 mm (Diameter)
Weight: 2.298 g
Coin Edge:Plain
Mint: Ralph Heaton and Son Mint, Birmingham, Great Britain.
Artist: Joseph Moore - Allan and Moore, Great Britain.
References: KM#1.
Rajah James Brooke 1/2 cent coin
Technical Specifications:
Denomination: 1/2 Cent
Issued By: James Brooke, Sarawak
Year: 1863
Shape: Round
Material: Copper
Dimensions: 23 mm (Diameter)
Weight: 4.653 g
Coin Edge:Plain
Mint: Ralph Heaton and Son Mint, Birmingham, Great Britain.
Artist: Joseph Moore - Allan and Moore, Great Britain.
References: KM#2.
Rajah James Brooke 1 cent coin
Technical Specifications:
Denomination: 1 Cent
Issued By: James Brooke, Sarawak
Year: 1863
Shape: Round
Material: Copper
Dimensions: 29 mm (Diameter)
Weight: 9.572 g
Coin Edge:Plain
Mint: Ralph Heaton and Son Mint, Birmingham, Great Britain.
Artist: Joseph Moore - Allan and Moore, Great Britain.
References: KM#3.
James Brooke never married and don't have any children. When he died in 1868, the throne went by edict to his nephew, Sir Charles Johnson Brooke.
