Tanga of Portuguese India: History of the coin

Illustrated Specimen Details: Tanga

Example Specimen: 1 tanga, 1952 — Portuguese India (Estado da Índia)

The coin shown above is a 1 tanga specimen issued in 1952 for Portuguese India (officially known as Estado da Índia). This bronze issue belongs to the final decade of Portuguese colonial presence on the Indian subcontinent, before the territories were annexed by India in 1961. The obverse features the coat of arms of Portuguese India used during 1935-1961, which includes an armillary sphere and a shield representing the overseas province.

The legends REPÚBLICA PORTUGUESA and ESTADO DA ÍNDIA reflect the administrative status of the territory at the time. Despite being produced by a European power, the tanga was deeply rooted in local economic traditions, serving as a vital fractional unit for everyday commerce in Goa, Daman, and Diu.

1. PORTUGUESE INDIA (16th-20th centuries): tanga = 1/16 rupia = 12 réis (at different times the ratios between the coins were different)
2. SRI LANKA, PORTUGUESE OCCUPATION (16th-17th centuries): tanga = 1/5 xerafim

The name of the tanga coin literally means "bandage on the thighs" in Portuguese. However, this interpretation of the etymology of this term in the context of numismatics is obviously wrong.

A more plausible version of the British Encyclopedia ("Britannica"), which provides the following information: tanga — an ancient silver and gold coin of Afghanistan (most likely it is one of the names of the ancient Afghan rupee).

The influence of the culture of Afghanistan and Pakistan on the lands of northern and western India was indeed significant. Therefore, the assumption about the "Afghan roots" of the origin of the name of the coin of Portuguese India seems plausible. In addition, it is possible affinity of the tanga coin with the Turkic tenga and tenge, or with the Tibetan tangka.

The Tanga: A Monetary Bridge Between Empires

The tanga was a structurally important denomination used in the monetary systems of Portuguese-controlled territories in the Indian Ocean, particularly in Portuguese India and Sri Lanka from the 16th to the 20th centuries. Unlike many European coin names transplanted overseas, tanga reflects a hybrid monetary environment where Portuguese, Indian, and local systems overlapped.

Evolution and Exchange Ratios

In Portuguese India, the tanga functioned as a fractional unit within a system influenced both by the Portuguese real and the Indian rupee-based economy. At various times, 1 tanga = 1/16 rupia, placing it firmly within the South Asian silver standard. In other contexts, it was equated to 12 réis, linking it back to the metropolitan Portuguese system. This duality allowed the coin to act as a conversion bridge between incompatible trade structures.

Etymology and Local Integration

The term tanga likely derives from the widespread Indian monetary word tanka, which had been used for silver coins in the Delhi Sultanate. By adopting this term, colonial authorities ensured the coin's acceptance in local markets. This is a classic example of linguistic borrowing in numismatics, where an imperial power retains familiar terminology to facilitate trade.

Numismatic Significance

Physically, tanga coins were struck in various metals over the centuries, including silver, billon, and bronze (as seen in the 1952 specimen). For collectors, they represent a fascinating era of "colonial hybridity". Surviving specimens, especially those from the early periods of Portuguese occupation, are often found in worn condition due to the heavy circulation and the humid tropical climate of the Indian coast. Identifying these coins requires careful attention to the heraldic symbols of Portugal and the specific mint marks of the Estado da Índia.