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Perak Tin Animal Money, The Bird
The picture shows a small tin ingot in the shape of a bird. It is it is typical of those from Perak and recognised universally as Perak Animal Money. Showing clear signs of having been buried for many years, it is only 32mm diagonally from beak to tail. The value of this would have been a fraction of one tin cent as all values were based on the amount of tin by weight which could be exchanged for one Spanish Silver dollar.
Referring to the above picture, the bird is a common creature kept by both Chinese and Malays and bird song competitions remaining a local tradition until today.
To read about the history of Perak Tin Animal Money, click here.