Tin coinage of Malacca
Reign of Sebastian (later 16th century) ・ tin ・ 16th century ・ Portuguese Malacca
When Portugal took Malacca, it did not hand out gold there. The markets of the strait had long run on tin money, so the conqueror struck tin in the local manner and changed only the name to the king's. Monetary custom is more stubborn than force: it was the empire that adapted to the market.