Timor – Colonial Coins

The coins of Timor reflect Portugal’s presence in Southeast Asia since the sixteenth century, when the territory became part of the trading routes linking the Indian and Pacific Oceans. For most of the colonial period, circulation relied exclusively on Portuguese coinage, as Timor had no local minting. The monetary system depended on shipments of Portuguese currency, supplemented by foreign coins used in regional trade. Timor’s own coinage appeared only in the twentieth century, during the Republican period, with bronze, cupronickel and silver issues struck at the Lisbon Mint to meet the territory’s administrative and commercial needs. These issues continued until the final decades of Portuguese administration, preceding the Indonesian occupation in 1975 and the process that eventually led to the independence of Timor‑Leste in 2002. Coins issued after independence can be found under World Coins, in the section Asia – Timor.