BRUNEI: brass cannon money (2538g), 19th to early 20th century, Opitz p.100, SS p.529-30, comprising a 240mm-long barrel, emblazoned with a Western-style crown and decorated with two dolphins (one missing), and a 245 x 120mm carriage with floral patterns and tips in the shape of horses heads, used as currency in Brunei, Sabah, Sarawak and other parts of Southeast Asia, a very heavy and impressive example! EF, RR. These miniature cannons were made of various metals including bronze, brass, copper, and iron, and were actually fired on important occasions such as weddings and the birth of children. Valued by weight at $25-30 a picul, they were used extensively for a multitude of purposes, such as the barter of goods, bride price, payment of fines and the purchase of slaves (a slave being valued in piculs of brass guns). With the introduction of coins, these cannons gradually fell out of use. Many were also melted down during World War II, which accounts for their rarity today.
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