2 Tangas Counterstamped

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.