The Obsessive Collector

A type coin collection by an obsessed collector who enjoys cataloging things.

[obsessivecollector]

The Straits Settlements became a British Crown Colony on 1 April 1867, making the Straits Settlements answerable directly to the Colonial Office in London instead of the British Raj of British India.

The coin's obverse and reverse were redesigned and silver coin designs were added in the form of new 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents.

[obsessivecollector]

In 1862, the reverse side of the coins was changed to reflect the transfer of power from the British East India Company to the British Crown due to the Government of India Act of 1858 which led to the formation of the British Raj.

In accordance with the Government of India Act of 1858, the government of the Straits Settlements (Malaysia, Penang, Malacca, Singapore) was taken over from the East India Company by the British Crown through the British Raj in India.

The obverse of the three coins remained the same. 

[obsessivecollector]

To get things started, here are the first coins of the British East India Company to feature Queen Victoria’s effigy issued for use in the Straits Settlements.

This series only featured three coin types 1/4, 1/2, and 1 cent. It is also a year-type coin, meaning that the coins bearing the date 1845 were minted over the course of several years.

[obsessivecollector]

I came into coin collecting a few years ago at the age of 32. I mainly collect comic books, toys, jewellery, silverware, and many other things that would be too lengthy to mention. Suffice to say, I enjoy collecting and cataloging things.

I have never given coin collecting much thought before this. My father at one point used to collect coins, and I suppose it was because he and my mother both used to work in a bank. I haven't seen his collection since the early 2000s. I'm assuming he probably sold it during tough financial times.

Funnily enough, I started my coin collection on a whim, I just wanted to have miniature portraits of the kings and queens of England when Malaysia was part of the British Empire (I am Malaysian by the way). I originally wanted to buy only the 5 cents (because they were the smallest denomination and all five monarchs, Victoria to Elizabeth ii, had one. Plus 4 of them were available in silver)

But as I bought and completed that goal, I started buying the other denominations to complete the five sets. After that, I moved forward towards the ringgit and backward towards the Portuguese and Dutch coins. I even started collecting Japanese Occupation paper money (they came in cent denominations), British North Borneo, and Sarawak coins.

I am still expanding and completing the collection, and hope to have a truly meaningful collection of type coins that I hope to share with you in the future.