Be Better Guys: Melaka Coinage-Portuguese Tin Coins

Melaka Coinage-Portuguese Tin Coins

I am looking for some information about Melaka Portuguese coinage for this past few days. I bought an old Malacca Portuguese coinage from a flea market recently without any spesific detail about them. The seller only told me that this coin is a Melaka-Portugis /Portugal coinage found in Melaka shore recently. As you see in the picture, the coin still have a trace of sea sand on them. This has bring me to a long hours searching over the internet for their history and origin. I don't collect tin cash before but this old coin still in the very fine condition with all the detail can be seen. The looks and the price tempted me to buy them.

After further investigation I found out that this is a Malacca Sebastiao coin, dated 1557-78. It made from tin dinheiro with flanking 3 arrows on the reverse and armillary sphere diagonal Left-Right on the obverse. While searching for information about this coin information. I found many information about Malacca Portuguse tin coinage story. I will share most of them in here today with everyone. If any of the information I found is not correct, please email me with the correct data. I will divided this melaka coinage story into 6 post for easy viewing of the coinage.

I found this in a website: The History of Melaka Century Currency

Malacca was captured by the Portuguese on August 24, 1511, under the command of Governor Alfonso D'Alburguerque, for 130 over years. From the occupation of Malacca by the Portuguese in 1521, it was administered as part of the territory of Goa in Portuguese India.
Gold and silver coins were struck in Malacca by the mind set up by Governor Alfonso D'Albuquerque of India right from the first year of the occupation, i.e. 1511, during the reign of King Dom Mnuell. Among the initial currency issues were the commemorative Catolico and the Meio Catolico, both minted in gold and, the third commemorative in silver, the Malaques, named after Malacca.
There were two separate coinages in Malacca during the reign of King Dom Joao III; the De Castro issue and the Malacca Mint issue. The De Castro issue was struck during the governorship of Dom Joao de Castro, the 4th Viceroy of Indis (1545-1548) was in gold as well as in tin. The gold coins were the Escudo de Sao Tome and the Quarter Escudo de Sao Tome, minted in Lisbon and Goa for circulation in India and the ten Portuguese territories. The tin coins were the Bastardo, Soldo and Dinheiro which were also minted in Lisbon for circulation in Malacca. But, those minted in Malacca issues of Bastardo, Soldo and Dinheiro are known to any, where it was minted, where? But, the local minted in Malacca, its quality and workmanship are really poor!
The coinage of King Dom Sebastiao, the tin coins were the distinctive bastardo, Soldo and Dinheiro. On the Bastardo, the armillary sphere was replaced by crossed arrows and the letter "S B". The Soldo had either double arrows a or triple arrows and the letters "B A", for the Dinheiro, there were at least two issues, one with the armillary and triple arrows; on the other sailing ship replaced by the sphere.
During the reign of King Dom Felipe II (1598-1621) there had been no official record of any coins minted at or for Malacca market until Mitchner's No. 3155, the Half Tanga 1615 M A the only silver piece known by us. Also there is no distinctive tin coins appear to have issued by the MalaccaMint during the reign of King Dom Felipe III of Portugal, only the silver one, They were only in four denominationa, the (i) Half Tanga (ii) the Tanga (iii) the Double Tanga (iv) the Quadruple Tanga. This Quadruple Tang was struck between the years 1633-1636 at the malcca Mint or may be at the Goa Mint specially designed and issued for Malacca. All denominations of silver Tanga of Malacca with the mintmark of "A M" or "M A" of the Malacca Mint!

Malacca Portuguese tin coin Bastardo 1511-1641

Obverse :
Armillary Sphere with Ecliptic Circle falling from left to right surround by Legend & Dmpr De Pvs Or Die Mala For D(Om) M(Anoel) P(Primero) R(Ei) De Pv(Rtugal) S(Enh) Or D(A) I(Ndia) E Mala(Cca), Translated-(Dom Manoel The First, King Of Portugal And Lord Of India And Malacca) within a bead Circule Round The Outer Edge Of Legend.
Reverse :
Cross of the order of the knights of christ surrounded by two circules of breads and and the legent "crvx xpi nostre spes unica" translated - (cross of christ our only hope - of salvation)
Diameter :38 MM
Thickness : 5 MM
Weight : 48 Grammes
Composition : Tin