1 Taro - Manuel Pinto de Fonseca

Manuel Pinto de Fonseca, Grand Master from 1741 to 1773, presided over the longest reign in the Order's Maltese history and was a notably prolific issuer of coinage. The taro — derived from the Arabic tharb — was the Order's indigenous denomination, entirely distinct from the monetary systems of surrounding European powers, a deliberate expression of the sovereignty the Knights maintained over Malta under papal suzerainty.

Copper issues of this type circulated heavily among the island's working population and rarely survived in anything above fine condition. Pinto himself funded considerable architectural projects in Valletta during this period, and the mint was kept consistently active throughout his tenure.