In the early twentieth century Bandar Togel & Co. introduced a new type of metal called Pembel. Pembel, as it was called, is a metal that is semi-precious gemstone and has been in existence since the 14th century. This precious metal had been developed as a byproduct of copper ore found in quarries in Indonesia and India. After being processed and purified it was mass produced and Bandar Togel & Co marketed Pembel as an official antiques metal. Today, Pembel is still very much in demand for jewelry, coins, watches, and knives.
The name Bandar Togel is derived from two words, dengan and togel. Bandar means ‘in the grace of the sun’, while Togel means ‘sun stone’. Like many other traditional Indonesian coins this design of Bandar Togel is divided into three distinct categories dengan meaning ‘general’, ‘king’ or ‘prime’ and such meaning ‘kingdom’. Other than the common names dengan and such there are also kuda-kuda or ‘warrior’ and ‘general’ kuda-kuda. The coins of Bandar Togel have various expressions such as ‘namaste’ meaning ‘I bow to the Sun God’.
When the goldsmiths started making coins they used a method of stamping which gave the impression of the metal being heavier than it really was. The first imprint was made using a cone shaped abrasive material such as granite. Later this was refined with the use of an iron abrasive powder. Although this innovation made the coins heavier, it increased their life span and durability.
The word “Bandar Togel” literally means ‘stones in brief’ and dengan refers to the metal pieces used. They were originally used only for the purpose of official transactions during the Indonesian regency. Coins were stamped or engraved using a hot stamping method using a piece of flat metal between two sheets of metal placed over a fire. In this way, a temporary impression of the design was produced on the metal surface which could then be wiped away when necessary.
Later, following the demise of the reign of Indonesia’s last Sate Aceh member Suharto, a new coinage was introduced bearing the name “Bandar Togel Terba” or “Hondatoto”. This coinage was issued in copper while earlier, all official transactions were conducted in gold. “Hondatoto” or “Bandar Togel Terba” has since been adopted by other nations, both Asian and African. The most notable example of this type of stamping being used today is the “bandar togel” used in East Asia. The term “bandar togel” refers to the alloy used while the “hondatoto” refers to the flower-shaped design which features the flower in its center.
Some examples that are known to have been used as legal tender in Aceh, such as the “Sudah”, “Bisas”, “Bisek”, “Kuda-Kuda”, “Ghandi”, and the “Kuda-Nibel” have all been modified and adapted to fit the requirements of contemporary exchange systems, which makes it difficult to know exactly what the symbols were intended to convey. The use of these coins is limited only to those countries that have official use of the language in which the stamping occurs. The connotation of the “bandar togel” or “hondatoto” as a legal tender has not yet been extended beyond Aceh.