Lot 653

Batavia, lead/tin pitis (1.43 g.), VOC / AO 1744 / rev.: blank, struck in Batavia, made of lead and tin in approximately equal quantity. The pitis, with a value of ¼ doit or 1/16 of a stiver, were made in the trade/craft centre of Batavia. The production was farmed out by auction to the Shahbandars. The Shahbandar (Persian, lit. “harbourmaster”) was in charge of the traders and the collection of taxes. They were put into circulation on 14 February 1744 and declared current in Batavia and on Java. Provenance: recovered from recent dredging of canals in Jakarta – about XF-UNC and the best preserved specimen seen – extremely rare in this state of preservation._x000D_ Ref.: Dutch-Indonesian placard-book, 1602-1811, vol. 5, p.111-112 & p.132); Netcher v.d. Chijs (Batavia, 1863); De Beeldenaar No. 5, sept/oct. 2020 p. 225-228; Passon 18.1