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60 Réis - Maria II Countermarked Coinage Tanga
| Issuer | Portuguese India |
|---|---|
| Year | 1850-1853 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Hammered, Countermarked |
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| Obverse description | Circular countermark applied to the host coin's field, depicting the numeral '60' in large raised characters enclosed within a raised circular border or ring. The countermark is deeply struck and centrally placed, with the surrounding field of the host coin showing remnants of an earlier design including what appears to be a wreath or foliate border at the periphery. The countermark was applied by Portuguese colonial authorities in Goa to revalue and recirculate existing copper coinage as 60 Réis (1 Tanga). |
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| Reverse description | The reverse retains the original host coin's design, heavily worn and partially obscured by the countermarking process. Visible elements include a dotted or beaded border running along the periphery, with vestiges of a central device that appears to include a shield or architectural motif flanked by foliate or wreath elements, consistent with earlier Portuguese Indian copper coinage. The surface is heavily patinated with green and brown toning, and the original legends, if any were present, are no longer legible. |
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| Additional information |
The Tanga countermark program was a practical response to chronic small-denomination shortages in Portuguese India's coastal territories. Existing copper coins — primarily tangas from earlier reigns — were overstruck with the royal cypher to revalidate them under Maria II's authority without the expense of a full new minting operation. The practice was common across Portuguese colonial possessions when Lisbon's attention and budget were stretched thin by the Liberal Wars and their aftermath.
Gomes catalogues this as M2 29.01, with the countermark applied to host coins that vary considerably in their original condition — accounting for much of the striking inconsistency collectors encounter in this type.