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BRITISH NORTH BORNEO: brass cent token, ND. VF

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / World Coins - World Start Price:35.00 USD Estimated At:50.00 - 75.00 USD
BRITISH NORTH BORNEO: brass cent token, ND. VF
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BRITISH NORTH BORNEO: brass cent token, ND, L& W-720, Pridmore-72, 25mm, N.L.B.T.C.L. (North Labuan British Trading Company Ltd.) ESTATE SHOP around central hole, ONE CENT above and below hole in cursive script // Chinese text and demonination, usual porosity, VF. The British North Borneo Company started to allow private estate tokens to circulate around 1882 at various tobacco, rubber and timber estates in the State of North Borneo. They stated currency shortage as the main reason to use private tokens, but the actual reason is that it would be easy to control coolies (laborers) with private money. The coolies could not easily leave the plantations since they didn't have any normal circulating money (Mexico dollar, Hong Kong dollar, British Trade dollar, etc.) for them to live outside the plantation. The coolies received monthly payment for their wages and each one of them had their own "debt record book". The book would record all their purchases at the shop (Kedai) in the plantation as well as their gambling debts and fines. The fines are for insufficient productivity on the plantation or for unauthorized absence from the plantation. Most of the plantation tokens were issued at the end of the 19th century. During that time, rapid development of tobacco estates in the East Indies can be seen with the cultivation of first-class tobacco crops. Many of the coolies were recruited from southern China and that is why most of the tokens have Chinese language on them in addition to Dutch, English or German. In 1890, the United States increased the import tax on foreign tobacco, and this brought down the world tobacco price. By 1920, most of the tobacco estates had changed their production from tobacco to rubber. Due to various abuses, these tokens were brought under Government regulations of 1903, 1906 and 1912. Any individual estate or Company employing more than 100 laborers were empowered to issue monetary tokens only after seeking prior approval from the Government. Each token was not to exceed five dollars per issuer. A specimen of each type was required to be deposited at the Treasury at Sandakan as well as at the nearest District Office. The Vide Gazette published Notification No. 207 in 1920 that the issue of these private tokens as money was to be abolished. All employers in the various estates were required to forward to the local District Office at least 20 per cent of their total authorized issue of tokens for cancellation by the 31st December of each year henceforth. On 31 December 1924 the use of private tokens in the State of North Borneo came to an end.