Trivia - White Raja

Yes!! White Raja.
In 1886, adventurer Charles J. Brooke happened to visit Borneo during an uprising. He aided the reigning Sultan of Brunei to quell the rebellion. The sultan was so overwhelmed with graditude the area of Sarawak was awarded to Charles. The natives of Sarawak and visitors to the country referred to him as the White Raja.

Sir Charles entered into an agreement with Great Britain to make Sarawak a British Protectorate and in '06 contracted with the Heaton Mint in Birmingham, England to mint coinage. Four 80 per cent silver coins were struck, carrying the "H" mintmark: a 5-cent, 10-cent, 20-cent and a 50-cent coin. Charles J Brooke faces left on all coins. Three of the varities were struck, again, in '10, '11, '13 and '15. The 50-cent piece was struck in '09 only. Charles J. died in '17 and his son, Charles V. Brooke became the White Raja in '27.

Charles V. coins in denominations of one-half cent, cent, 5-cent, 10-cent, 20-cent and 50-cent coins were struck by the Heaton Mint at various years from '20 through '34. Charles V. faces right.

During World War II the Japanese occupied Sarawak. They so completely devastated the economy of Sarawak, White Raja Charles V. ceded the colony to Great Britai on July 1, '46. In September of '63 Sarawak joined the Federation of Malaysia.

Clinker

 

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Best one yet...I learned something.

 

Found an example of one of the coins.

 

Thanks again for the history. A question: was there any coinage specific to Sabah for that time period, which is also part of modern-day Malaysia and borders Sarawak on the east?

 

Thank you Drusus for the coin links:

Clinker

 

acathite:

I'll check on Sabah and get back to you or maybe another member has the answer and can help you out.

Clinker

 

acanthite:

British West Borneo was a British protectorate and the Heaton Mint produced coins for them. After they were given their independence they joined Malaysia who became responsible for their coinage. The name "Sabah" was only recently coined to indicate that area, not to produce a new nation.

Clinker

 

Thanks for the info, Clinker. Did some searching on that one, found an example of a coin from the State of North Borneo, the place we are talking about.

 

White Rajah.

Clinker,it was Rajah Sir James Brooke who assisted the Sultan of Brunei in crushing a rebellion.The coins of Sarawak are of personal interest to me,as the son of Rajah Sir Charles Vyner Brooke,Anthony,the last Raja Muda has retired to my home town of Wanganui.Mr. Brooke would be in his 90's now.I've never met him though.

Here's an article; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Rajahs .

Aidan.

 

Thanks Aiden:

Enjoyed the article. Some great feats for a small land very few people ever heard of. Sometimes great and interesting histories are discovered because of interest in numismatics. You certainly proved that!!

Clinker