Piloncitos was the currency in pre-colonial times. Gold was prized for many reasons, one of which is for teeth ornamentation such as the case of the gold-scale teeth of the Bolinao Skull,[51] the Calatagan teeth,[52] and a Pigafetta account of the gold-dotted teeth of Butuan's ruler.[53]
English: Many of the attributions below have been revised in A HISTORY AND COIANGE OF SOUTH EAST ASIA until the 15th c.by Dr. M. Mitchiner. I have not had time to incorporate new information, but coins shown are available in stock. THE MARITIME EMPIRES (Beads and Beanlike coins)    Long before the Thai moved southward from their original home in China, the lucrative sea trade between the South China Sea and the Bay of Bengal created powerful maritime empires such as Sailendra-Srivijaya and Majopahit, which controlled coastal areas of modern Indonesia, Burma, Malaya, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. In an era before coined money was widely used, Indo-Pacific beads were made first at a site called Aakmidu in South India ca. 200 BC. The manufacture then moved in sequence to Ceylon, South Thailand, Java and finally Malaya. By about 1200-1300 AD the larger Majopahit beads, excavated today in the interior of Java, had supplanted it. Since these factory sites have been dated, archaeologists now use the beads to date sites, though whether beads rose to the level of metals, salt, cloth, and cowries as "standard" trade goods is uncertain.    The first indigenous metallic coinage in the region, ca. 750-850 AD, comes from the Javanese kingdom of Sailendra (Chinese: Ho-ling). These roughly dome-shaped silver of irregular weight bore stamps of a flowing vase, and the sandalwood flower (quatefoil). By 850 AD weights had been standardized at 20 rattis to a Massa of about 2.4 grams. Silver and gold coins of Massa and fractional denominations were issued until about 1300 AD, with changes in shape and quality of inscription marking periods of issue. The gold Piloncitos of the Philippines are a late offshoot of the gold coinage, while the beanlike silver "namo" series, of the Malay isthmus was presumably an offshoot of the silver and may have evolved into the bullet (pod-duang) coinage of Sukothai. I have referenced the coinage to Wicks' Money, Markets, and Trade in Early Southeast Asia (WM) because of his attention to shape in the evolution of the coinage, although the relationship of gold to silver coinage is better demonstrated in Mitchiner's later work The History and Coinage of South East Asia until the 15th Century which is cross-referenced along with Millies' 1871 work. 1030   Indo-Pacific Beads, ca. 1200AD   The major trade bead of the Srivijaya and Majopahit Empires, it still serves as a store of wealth in Timor, Flores & Sumba, called Mutisalah ("False pearls"). Used by archaeologists to date sites throughout S.E. Asia.    Strand (27cm looped) of small (2-3mm) brick-red clay, about 225 beads/strand. Rough & irregular shape.    18.50 WM8.3a   Sailendra: Early Period c. 800-950 AD SILVER Massa Sandalwood Flower incuse, R: Nagari Ma for Massa   Flan flat, thick& irregular     2.25-2.4gm, 10m   Wiicks (p.249) Class D, M724-725, Millies 13-19   Vg 20.00 WM8.3b   1/2 Massa, .97-1.09gm, 7-8m Scarce.    Vg-F 25.00 SOLD WM8.3c   1/4 Massa, .43-.61gm = Kupang   Vg 16.50 WM8.3d   1/8 Massa, .28-.35gm    SOLD WM8.3L   Massa, low weight (1.39-1.84gm) & porous, possibly contemporary counterfeits, or a regional issue.   Vg-F 17.50 W100-102    GOLD Massa, 1/2, and 1/4, sometimes called 24, 12, and 6 Krisnalas. The early, fine-style series with clear Devnagari Ja or Ta (Wicks Class A) and incuse Lingham reverse belongs with this period, according to Mitchiner (#722-23)   Not too scarce, but none presently in stock. WM8.4a   Middle Period c. 950-1150 AD SILVER Massa Sandalwood Flower incuse, R: Nagari Ma    Flan concave, thinner, broader & rounded; Ma cruder    about 2.07-2.54 gm, 13-14m   Wiicks (p.255) Class E, M730-731, Millies 21-22   VF 22.50 WM8.4b   1/2 Massa, .82-1.08gm, 9-11m broader than early period and slightly dished Scarce.    Vg-F 25.00 WM8.4c   1/4 Massa, ..47-.56gm, 7.5-8.5m broader than early period and slightly dished Scarce.    F-VF 25.00 W106-112    GOLD Massa, 1/2, and 1/4,    Mitchiner (#726-729) does not distinguish varieties within this period, while Wicks (p.289) makes a useful distinction between rounded ("conelike") pieces of good style with crescents reverse (Class D), and pieces with "parallel plier marks or grooves" reverse which he does not otherwise distinguish from Class A pieces (Class C). From their style, I would place the Class C pieces after D.   Neither series is particularly scarce, and the 1/4 Massa of Class D fairly common. However, due to the deteriorated style, they are less popular with collectors. WM8.5a   Late Period c. 1150-1300 AD SILVER Massa Sandalwood Flower incuse, R: Nagari Ma    Subtly different from middle period with flans rounder, generally smaller with incuse panel smaller.    Wicks refers to a "bubbly surface" but the main distinguishing feature I see is the darker color, reflecting debasement.    about 1.72-2.43 gm, 12.5-13m   Wiicks (p.255) Class F, M734-738, Millies 21-22   Selected from a large group, actually better but crude execution of Ma makes them look worn: Vg-F 13.50 WM8.5b   1/2 Massa, .91-1.07gm   crude Vg-F 14.50; crude F-VF 19.50 WM8.5c   1/4 Massa, .37-69gm   crude F-VF 18.50 WM8.5x   Copper Massa, 1.35-2.15gm, not even a pretense of silvering, so I am not sure whether these are very late issues or contemporary counterfeits   Vg 10.00 Q001   Gold Plaque   This object is 12.55gm, 40x21m with a crude Sandalwood flower stamped four times. The edges are rough with several shallow test cuts, also rough. My guess is that it is a concoction of recent making, but I am seeking information. NOT FOR SALE.