Deureuham (Gayo: deram, from Arabic/Persian derham/dirham) was the small, thin, round Atjèhnese gold coin weighing approximately 9 grains (0.583 gram), roughly struck with Arabic characters within a pearl border, without year. Its circulation value was ¼ pardouw (later ¼ Spanish dollar). The Sultans repeatedly reduced the gold weight and fineness, and much false gold was in circulation.
Minting
The deureuham was minted by Sultans from Ala ad-din Riajat Sjah (± 1588–1604) to Ala ad-din Djohan Sjah (1735–1760). John Davis, the English seafarer who spied on the Dutch ships that arrived at Atjèh in June 1599, left a description of the various Atjèhnese coins in circulation, including the deureuham (which he called the gouden mas).
Circulation value
The circulation value of the deureuham was ¼ pardouw (later ¼ Spanish dollar). The Sultans repeatedly reduced the gold weight and fineness of the coin, and much false gold was in circulation. The coin was mostly melted down for golden ornaments after Spanish dollars became common.
Related coinage
The deureuham was part of a system of Atjèhnese coinage that included:
- Keuëh — limestone or tin coin struck for market traffic, with no fixed value
- Pardouw — silver coin (from Portuguese pardao), struck at Goa for trade with the Archipelago
- Djampaj — Indian rupee (Hindostan-ropij), used in Pidië and the Gayo lands
Gayo terminology
In the Gayo lands, the deureuham was called deram, and was used alongside the koepang and boesö — silver coins originally struck at Arkat (Madras) by the English East India Company in 1758–1759.
See Also
- Keuëh
- Djampaj
- Goepang
- Boesö
- Vrouwenregeering
- Sultan Ala ad-dïn Riajat Sjah
- Sultan Ala ad-dïn Djohan Sjah
- John Davis
- 1599
Source
Atjèh. Algemeen samenvattend overzicht van land en volk van Atjèh en onderhoorigheden, door J. Kreemer, Archivaris van het Atjèh Instituut. Tweede Deel. Leiden: N.V. Boekhandel en Drukkerij voorheen E.J. Brill, 1923.
Identifier: Delpher MMKB02B:000001798; PPN 395084288. Koninklijke Bibliotheek.