VOC (Dutch East India Company) monogram in a circle // Conch in a circle. 15mm, 1.89 grams. Cochin mint. KM #2; Scholt1254b; Passon 47.7

This is the early type (KM#2), minted 1663-1724, not pictured or priced in Krause. On the later types (KM3) an "8" was added above the monogram (indicating the 1/8 stuiver value of these bazaruccos). Rare, especially in such grade (most of these are corroded and damaged).

The Dutch presence in Cochin, India, began in 1663 when the Dutch East India Company (VOC) captured the city from the Portuguese after a prolonged siege. The Dutch established Cochin as a key trading post, focusing on the lucrative spice trade, particularly pepper. They built fortifications, including the Fort Emmanuel, and maintained alliances with local rulers like the Kingdom of Cochin, using diplomacy and military strength to dominate the Malabar Coast. However, over time, competition with the British and shifting trade priorities weakened Dutch influence, and in 1795, the British East India Company took control of Cochin, marking the end of Dutch rule in the region.