Crowned Portuguese coat of arms within a circle, crude +JOANES 3 R P ET AL ("John III King of Portugal and Algrave") / Astrolabe. 25mm, 4.36 grams. Private mint in Melaka. Sim. J3.10.

Cast tin, rare. Some of the production of these coins was given into private hands, and some coins were produced in those private mints. These coins follow the pattern of the official coins, but carry nonsensical and unreadable inscriptions. All such private mint coins are scarce to rare. These coins are almost always found in poor condition.

The Portuguese arrived in Melaka (Malacca) in 1511, when Afonso de Albuquerque captured the thriving port city from the local Malay Sultanate. Recognizing its strategic importance on the maritime trade route between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, the Portuguese aimed to control the spice trade and establish a stronghold in Southeast Asia. They fortified the city and introduced Christianity, but their rule faced constant resistance from local forces and rival powers, including the Acehnese and later the Dutch. Despite their efforts, the Portuguese struggled to fully control the hinterlands or win over the local population. Their rule ended in 1641, when Melaka was seized by the Dutch East India Company, marking the end of Portuguese dominance in the region.