The company's charter allowed it to have its own military forces, make treaties, and coin its own money.
[2] Writers on the subject distinguish between the types produced in the Netherlands for the company and those issued by it locally in Asia.
[2] Most coins issued for the company carried its distinctive monogram of the interlocked letters "VOC".
[2] They were issued by the local mints of the Netherlands, including Holland, Utrecht, Zeeland, Gelderland and Overijssel.
[5] Foreign coins, including Japanese Koban or Surat rupees, were sometimes countermarked by the company for its own use.