Image: Soldo (Tin) - Portuguese Malacca (Dom Sebastiao I) - Scott Semans

Description: PORTUGUESE MALACCA For pre-Portuguese coins, see Malacca Sultanate. I know of no really good reference for this series, and authors disagree on ruler attributions and denominations. Since it at least has a straightforward numbering system, I have used MN = Shaw & Ali, Malacca Coins (available: $2.50), with secondary references to: SS = Singh, Saran, The Coins of Malaysia Singapore and Brunei 1400-1967, (1996 ed.) which uses "Sim" numbers, and V = Vaz (as above).      It has long been known from a report by Justus Schouten of 7 September, 1641, that upon conquest of Malacca from the Portuguese, underweight tin coins of local style were issued, but until recently these issues had not been identified. In Research Article No. 2 of 1989 (Malaysia Numismatic Soc.), PortugueseOccupation (1511-1641), Unlisted Tin Coins Found in Malacca (photocopy available $1.25) E. E. Sim catalogs and discusses a number of types, now generally thought to be products of the forgery factory still operating in Kuala Lumpur. He speculates that the last four listings may represent the legitimate Dutch issues, and from the numbers of pieces found in recent excavations and dredgings, it is now quite apparent that this is the case. In 1983 I sent one such piece (Sim AF2.8) to Md. Kassim Hajji Ali of the Muzium Negara, who opined that it was genuine. This page offers some tips for detecting fake Portuguese Malacca coins.      These are tin coins, crudely made, dark in color, and rough from soil or water immersion, however they do look better "in person" than in the scans, as it is impossible to get good scans of very dark coins. Generally the design is quite bold and the coins are not seriously worn, but they are not "pretty." Scans are enlarged to show detail, and show typical examples, not necessarily the specimen you will receive. MN-B16a   Dom Joao III, 1521-52 , Tin Soldo, O: Heraldic Shield in circle, +IONES 3 RP ET AL DG G around; R: Globe (Armillary Sphere) with 5-6 lines of latitude, A crude issue, supplier says privately minted during Garcia de Sa's period. Thicker flan variety. 23-25m, avg. 5.6g    MN16, SS-J3.09, V-J3.22   SAMPLES shown. rough F-VF 60.00; rough Vg-F 40.00 MN-B16b   Dom Joao III, 1521-52 , Tin Soldo, As above, but Thinner flan variety. 23-25m, avg. 4.1g    MN16, SS-J3.09, V-J3.22   SAMPLES shown. rough F-VF 55.00 MN-A16   Dom Joao III, 1521-52 , Tin Dinheiro, As Soldo aove. 19-21m, avg. 2.88g    MN-A16, SS-J3.11, V-J3.23   SAMPLES shown. rough F-VF 27.50 MN18   Dom Joao III, 1521-52 , Tin Soldo, O: Plain Cross & legend +IOA: III: POR: ET: AL: R. Rev: Globe (Armillary Sphere) with five lines of latitude. Thin, uniform flans; Vaz considers it a Lisbon mint issue. Somewhat scarce. 24m, 3.6 - 3.7g    MN18, SS-J3.06, V-J3.03   SAMPLES shown. rough Vg-F 42.50 MN19   Dom Joao III, 1521-52 , Tin Dinheiro, O: Plain Cross & legend +IOA: III: POR: ET: AL: Rev: Globe (Armillary Sphere) with five lines of latitude. Thin, uniform flans; Vaz considers it a Lisbon mint issue. Somewhat scarce. 19-21m, avg. 1.72g    MN19, SS-J3.07, V-J3.04   rough F-VF SAMPLE shown. 26.50 MN20   Dom Joao III, 1521-52 , Tin Dinheiro, O: I S M A (Iohannes Senhor MAlacca) in angles of cross, R: Globe (Armillary Sphere), 17-18m, avg. 4g   MN20, SS-J3.12, V-Se24.01   rough F-VF SAMPLE shown. 24.50 MN25   Dom Sebastiao I, 1557-78, Tin Dinheiro, O: Three crossed arrows, B / A at sides, two dots above, R: Globe (Armillary Sphere) with diagonal at upper right, 17-19m, avg. 2.5g   MN25, SS-S.13 etc., V-Se25.01 etc.   rough F-VF SAMPLE shown. 23.50 MN24   Dom Sebastiao I, 1557-78, Tin Soldo, O: Three crossed arrows, B / A at sides, two dots above, R: Globe (Armillary Sphere) with diagonal at upper left, the only indicator besides thickness that this is a different denomination, 17-19m, avg. 3.8g   MN24, SS-S.13, 15., V-Se30.01, 30.02.   rough F-VF SAMPLE shown. 26.50 MN36   Dutch issue of ca. 1641 in imitation of Dom Felipe II, 1598-1621, Tin 1/2 Bazaruco, O: Heraldic sheld of Felipe, R: Cross surrounded by border of dots , 13-15m, avg. 1.14g   One of four similar types specifically issued by the Dutch for use in Malacca.   MN-nl, SS-nl, V-F2/13.01 "doubtful", Sim (1983) AF2.6   rough F-VF SAMPLE shown. 23.50
Title: Soldo (Tin) - Portuguese Malacca (Dom Sebastiao I) - Scott Semans
Credit: Portuguese colonial coinage (CoinCoin.com).
Author: Scott Semans
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
License: CC BY 3.0
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