The Maltese pataca was minted in the 16th and 17th centuries. Officially known as the Republic of Malta, this small island nation is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.

A coin is generally a piece of hard metal shaped like a disc, and is issued by the government to serve as a form of money. The Maltese pataca was a large copper coin. It was minted as a fiduciary coin. It was during the time in power of Grand Master Fra Jean de la Vallette that the coin was first minted. This followed soon after the Siege of Malta in 1565, by the Ottoman Turks, who were the most powerful non-european military force. Grandmaster Fra Jean de Lascaris reigned during the 1600s, when the coin was last minted. The coin had the inscription "Not Money but Trust".