Numismatic Guide to the Macuta: African Trade Currency

Illustrated Specimen Details: 4 Macutas of Portuguese Angola

Example Specimen: 4 Macutas (20 Centavos), 1928 (Portuguese Angola)

Authority and Design: This colonial issue from Portuguese Angola is a fascinating dual-denomination coin. The denomination is explicitly indicated in two ways: in traditional local macutas and the more modern centavos. The obverse features the inscription VINTE CENTAVOS (twenty centavos) and the Portuguese coat of arms (the specific version without laurel branches, traditionally used on the national flag and naval jacks). The reverse displays the denomination IIII MACUTAS, notably using the unusual Roman numeral "IIII" instead of the standard "IV" — a stylistic choice also found on older coins from Germany and Lithuania.

Numismatic Note: The coin bears the legend REPUBLICA PORTUGUESA - ANGOLA surrounding the "Efígie da República", the national personification symbolizing the Republic in Portugal and Brazil. The design was created by Domingos Alves do Rego, whose mark REGO GR appears under the portrait. Minted at the Casa da Moeda de Lisboa with a mintage of 500,000, this 1928 issue is considered a much rarer type than its 1927 predecessor.

1. PORTUGUESE ANGOLA (1762-1928): macuta = 50 réis (1927-1928: 5 centavos = 1/20 escudo)

MACUTA as a coin name. The macuta is a historical coin minted by Portugal exclusively for its colony in Angola from the 18th-20th centuries. The name is of African origin, deriving from "dikuta" in the Kikongo language, which referred to a valuable fabric woven from palm leaves that served as an early substitute for money.

Historical Evolution of the Macuta

Unlike many Portuguese colonial denominations that simply mirrored European coinage, the macuta reflects a unique blend of Portuguese monetary systems and local Angolan economic traditions. Interestingly, while the plural of the Angolan coin is macutas, a linguistically related term can be found in neighboring territories, such as the fractional currency of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, known as the likuta coin (plural: makuta).

From Copper and Silver to Dual Denominations

Starting in the mid-18th century (around 1762), the Portuguese administration began issuing the macuta specifically for colonial Angola. Initially, it was produced in fractional copper pieces (quarter, half, and one macuta) and larger silver denominations (ranging from 2 to 12 macutas). Later issues were struck exclusively in copper.

For over a century, the standard valuation established that one macuta equaled 50 Portuguese réis (the plural form of real). These early coins often featured the legend "Africa Portugueza" (Portuguese Africa) alongside royal monograms and the Portuguese coat of arms.

The 20th Century Revival

Following the monetary reforms of the early 20th century, Portugal introduced the escudo currency to replace the older real-based system. However, the legacy of the macuta was so strongly ingrained in local Angolan commerce that its production was briefly resumed by the colonial administration.

In 1927-1928, special copper-nickel series were released featuring double denominations to bridge the traditional and modern systems. These included fractional pieces marked both in macutas and modern colonial centavos, such as the 4 macutas specimen. Today, they remain highly popular among collectors of African colonial coins, serving as important historical artifacts of southwestern Africa's economic history.