1 Kupang - Muhammad Malik

Samudra Pasai is one of the earliest sultanate in the Malay archipelago to issue Islamic style gold coinage, called Dirham and Kupang. Despite the Islamic appearance, Aelst (1995:369) and Alfian (1997:11) has noted that the weight and units of Pasai currency correspond to the archipelago's preceding Hindu monetary system in which:
 

• 1 Dirham/Mas = 4 Kupang
   
• 1 Kupang = 400 Keueh
   

Pasai would eventually be succeeded by the Aceh Sultanate who kept producing gold coins of similar units.

The obverse inscription has been surmised to either has الطاهير (aṭ-ṭahir) or الظاهير (aẓ-ẓahir) with omitted dot above ظ. Both readings are plausible in the context of regal title, meaning "the pious" and "the victorious" respectively. Leyten (2004:6) argued that based on recorded names in Hikayat Raja-Raja Pasai and Sejarah Melayu, the inscription did not mistakenly omit the dot of ظ and aṭ-ṭahir is the correct title, although contemporary sources often still use aẓ-ẓahir.

See:
 

• Aelst, Arjan (1995). "Majapahit Picis; The currency of a 'moneyless' society 1300-1700."
   
• Alfian, T. Ibrahim (1997). Mata Uang Emas Kerajaan-kerajaan di Aceh.
   
• Leyten, J. (2004). A Catalogue of the Gold Coins of Samudra Pasai and Acheh; their origin, name, and weight, in a historical context.