Cash coins in Indonesia  Cash coins (Indonesian: "Uang Kepeng" or "Oeang Kèpèng": Malay: "Uang Keping" or "Pitis"; Balinese: "Pis Bolong"; Javanese: "Picis", "Pitjis", or "Gobok") were introduced by the Chinese based on their imperial coinage to what is today called Indonesia during the Tang dynasty era in China when they were introduced by traders, but they didn't become popular with the local population until the 13th century during the reign the Majapahit empire in the archipelago. Chinese cash coins continued to circulate in the archipelago for centuries, when the Ming dynasty banned trade with the region many local rulers started creating their own imitations of Chinese cash coins which were often thinner and of inferior quality. Cash coins produced in Indonesia were made from various materials such as copper-alloys, lead, and most commonly tin. In Indonesia cash coins are often used in various forms of superstitions and rituals which earns them the nickname "magic coins", local cash coin-based amulets ("Gobog Wayang") based on these cash coins serve a similar place in Indonesian culture as their Chinese counterparts do in Chinese culture, these amulets also date back to the Majapahit period and are used by both the ethnic Chinese and the native population. The ceremonial usage of cash coins is most prevalent on the island of Bali where they can often be found sewn onto clothing as well as made into forms of jewelry and statuary objects. Cash coins in Bali are often sold at shops that cater to tourists, the "junk" and "antique" section of local traditional markets (known as "pasar"), and in specialised cash coin stores. The last Chinese cash coins as money circulated in Bali until the year 1970. On Java the Chinese "picis" (cash coins) replaced local gold and silver coins during the Majapahit period, the reason why copper cash coins replaced them was the fact that the size of the local gold and silver coins were too small, so they could easily fall and disappear. While the Chinese "picis" money has a hole in the middle so they could be strung together with rope with 200 pieces per string and be practically carried around everywhere with ease making them harder to lose. Local gold and silver coins would remain for large transactions while copper "picis" became the norm for smaller transactions.