Charles Anthoni Johnson Brooke, born Charles Anthoni Johnson, ruled as the head of state of Sarawak from 3 August 1868 until his death on 17 May 1917. Although Sir Charles have been on the throne since 1868, he only managed to make Sarawak coin with his own portrait on 1870.
Rajah Charles Johnson Brooke
The copper coins with the denominations of 1/4, 1/2 and 1 Cent were minted by R. Heaton & Sons, Birmingham. These coin followed the previous design on James Brooke Copper coins. The date 1870 appeared on the reverse, although the coins were not actually issued till the following year.
Rajah Charles Johnson Brooke 1/4 cent coin
Technical Specifications:Denomination: 1/4 Cent
Issued By: Charles Johnson Brooke, Sarawak
Year: 1870, 1896H
Shape: Round
Material: Copper
Dimensions: 18 mm (Diameter)
Weight: 9.203 g
Coin Edge:Plain
Mint: Smith & Wright, Birmingham, England; H-Heaton Mint
Artist: ?
References: KM#4.
Rajah Charles Johnson Brooke 1/2 cent coin
Technical Specifications:Denomination: 1/2 Cent
Issued By: Charles Johnson Brooke, Sarawak
Year: 1870, 1879, 1896H.
Shape: Round
Material: Copper
Dimensions: 22.5 mm (Diameter)
Weight: 4.569 g
Coin Edge:Plain
Mint: Smith & Wright, Birmingham, England; H- Heaton Mint.
Artist: ?
References: KM#5.
Rajah Charles Johnson Brooke 1 cent coin
Technical Specifications:Denomination: 1 Cent
Issued By: Charles Johnson Brooke, Sarawak
Year: 1870, 1879, 1880, 1882, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1889, 1889H, 1890H, 1891, 1891H
Shape: Round
Material: Copper
Dimensions: 29 mm (Diameter)
Weight: 9.16 g
Coin Edge:Plain
Mint: Smith & Wright, Birmingham, England; H-Heaton Mint.
Artist: ?
References: KM#6.
During Rajah Charles Johnson Brooke’s rule, the State of Sarawak was placed under British protection in 1888 and the governor or the Straits Settlements was appointed Agent of Sarawak. As a protectorate of Britain, Sarawak gained a parliamentary government. Investment in state infrastructure included a railway and the development of natural resources after oil was discovered.
Rajah Charles Johnson Brooke 1 cent central hole coin
Technical Specifications:Denomination: 1 Cent
Issued By: Charles Johnson Brooke, Sarawak
Year: 1892H, 1893H, 1894H, 1896H, 1897H
Shape: Round, central hole
Material: Copper
Dimensions: 29.5 mm (Diameter)
Weight: 9.25 g
Coin Edge:Plain
Mint: Heaton & Son, Birmingham, England.
Artist: ?
References: KM#7.
In 1891 the export of the coins of Sarawak was forbidden due to the complaints by the Straits Settlements Government. As a result, from 1892 until 1897 new copper 1 cent coins with a centre hole and a smaller portrait of the Rajah were released, to avoid confusion with the Strait Settlements coins.
In 1889, responsibility for ordering the coins was transferred to the British North Borneo Company in London and henceforward the coins were impressed with the H mint mark of the Heaton Mint. Thus the cent dated 1889 exists in two versions, with or without the H mint mark which appears on the reverse, below the ribbon of the wreath. Some 3,210,000 cents were struck that year, equally divided between those with and without the mint mark. All of the cents issued in 1890 had the mint mark, but in 1891 only about two-thirds of the mintage (1,623,888 in all) bore the letter H, while the others were unmarked.
Rajah Charles Johnson Brooke 5 cents coin
Technical Specifications:Denomination: 5 Cents
Issued By: Charles Johnson Brooke, Sarawak
Year: 1900H, 1908H, 1911H, 1913H, 1915H.
Shape: Round
Material: .800 Silver
Dimensions: 11 mm (Diameter)
Weight: 1.359 g
Coin Edge:Milled
Mint: Heaton & Son, Birmingham, England.
Artist: ?
References: KM#8.
Rajah Charles Johnson Brooke 10 cents coin
Technical Specifications:Denomination: 10 Cents
Issued By: Charles Johnson Brooke, Sarawak
Year: 1900H, 1906H, 1910H, 1911H, 1913H, 1915H.
Shape: Round
Material: .800 Silver
Dimensions: 18 mm (Diameter)
Weight: 2.658 g
Coin Edge:Milled
Mint: Heaton & Son, Birmingham, England.
Artist: ?
References: KM#9.
Rajah Charles Johnson Brooke 20 cents coin
Technical Specifications:Denomination: 20 Cents
Issued By: Charles Johnson Brooke, Sarawak
Year: 1900H, 1906H, 1910H, 1911H, 1913H, 1915H.
Shape: Round
Material: .800 Silver
Dimensions: 24 mm (Diameter)
Weight: 5.378 g
Coin Edge:Milled
Mint: Heaton & Son, Birmingham, England.
Artist: ?
References: KM#10.
Rajah Charles Johnson Brooke 50 cents coin
Technical Specifications:Denomination: 50 Cents
Issued By: Charles Johnson Brooke, Sarawak
Year: 1900H, 1906H.
Shape: Round
Material: .800 Silver
Dimensions: 32 mm (Diameter)
Weight: 13.537 g
Coin Edge:Milled
Mint: Heaton & Son, Birmingham, England.
Artist: ?
References: KM#11.
Sarawak rich in gold, coal, and other minerals but in 1909 oil was discovered. The growing prosperity of Sarawak led to a demand for higher denominations, and in 1900 the Heaton Mint began striking coins in .800 fine silver, comprising 5,10,20 and 50 cents. The three highest denominations were repeated in 1906 and the 5 cent in 1908; 10 and 20 cents were issued in 1910, while 5, 10 and 20 cents were struck in 1911, 1913 and 1915.
The silver coins are scarcer than the copper issues due to a mintage under 200,000 per issue for the series and a low survival rate as a result of the melting of almost all of the Sarawak silver obtained by Japanese during their World War II occupation.
