Catalog
2 Tangas Counterstamped
| Issuer | Dutch East India Company (VOC) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1655-1656 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Hammered |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Central field features the Portuguese royal arms, depicted as a quartered shield surmounted by a crown, with the characteristic five bezants of Portugal visible within the quarters. Flanking the shield are two slender decorated columns or supporters, and the upper field bears partial inscription letters above the crown. The design is characteristic of Portuguese hammered coinage struck at Goa or Diu for the Estado da India, with flat, worn relief typical of circulated hammered silver. The flan edges are uneven and clipped, consistent with hand-struck production methods of the period. |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
The VOC acquired large quantities of Indian tangas — Portuguese-issued silver fractions circulating on the Malabar Coast — and counterstamped them for use in their own trading settlements rather than striking entirely new coinage. It was cheaper and faster than minting from scratch, and the Company was nothing if not commercially ruthless about overhead. The specific counterstamp applied in 1655–56 served to guarantee weight and authorize the coin within VOC-controlled ports, essentially converting Portuguese colonial currency into Dutch corporate scrip.
KM#42 and KM#43 differ by the host coin type accepted for the stamp.