A Collection Of Coins From Portugal

Honestly guys I'm surprised how many people are actually following this thread I really thought not many people would be interested.

Today you get 2 coins, although they look alike they are slightly different.





Issuer:Portugal
Period: Third Republic (1974-date)
Type1: Standard circulation coin
Years: 1977-1978
Value: 25 Escudos (25 PTE)
Currency: Escudo (1911-2001)
Composition: Copper-nickel
Weight: 9.5 g
Diameter: 26.25 mm
Thickness: 2.4 mm
Shape: Round
Orientation: Coin alignment
Demonetized: Yes
References: KM# 607, Schön# 63
Mintage (1977): 7,657,000

In 1980 the coin was rereleased but larger.




Issuer: Portugal
Period: Third Republic (1974-date)
Type: Standard circulation coin
Years: 1980-1986
Value: 25 Escudos (25 PTE)
Currency: Escudo (1911-2001)
Composition: Copper-nickel
Weight: 10.8 g
Diameter: 28.5 mm
Thickness: 2.25 mm
Shape: Round
Orientation: Coin alignment
Demonetized: Yes
References: KM# 607a, Schön# A66
Mintage (1908): 750,000 (key)

The coolest thing about these, is that you could have purchased something for 5$00 Escudos, given the 25$00 Escudos coin and gotten a note back.

Looking good!

Very nice!

Enjoying the thread, hfjacinto! Takes me back to the mid-1980s when I spent a season looking after British holidaymakers in a cheap and somewhat dilapidated hotel in Povoa de Varzim!

I can actually remember one specific occasion when I needed a 3$50 stamp to make up postage on a letter. I handed over a 25$ coin at the post office and got a $20 note and 1$50 in change. The bronze 50c coins were still in circulation in 1985-6.

That's not really surprising as the mint produced about 6 of the 50 centavos for every person in Portugal in 1979 and the 2$50 was still being minted in 1985. I still encountered the 50 centavos in the early 90's but they were rare as almost everything was priced in full escudo. By the Expo (1998) they were all gone. Even the 1 Escudo wasn't worth almost anything.

In the 1970's you could still buy hard candy for 5 Centavos, but they were very rare, I did get one in circulation when I got 3 hard candy and gave a 20 centavo coin.

Today you get my first non circulating commemorative coin, unlike the other commemoratives which some did circulate, this one was made by the Casa Da Moeda (House of Coin) for collectors only.

This coin commemorates the 850th anniversary of the founding of the Kingdom of Portugal in 1139 when Alfonso Henrique declared himself the Prince of Portugal.





Issuer: Portugal
Period: Third Republic (1974-date)
Type: Non-circulating coin
Year: 1989
Value:250 Escudos (250 PTE)
Currency: Escudo (1911-2001)
Composition: Silver (.925)
Weight: 28 g
Diameter: 37 mm
Shape: Round
Orientation: Coin alignment
Demonetized: Yes
References: KM# 650a
Mintage (Proof): 15,000

While Portugal has been populated since 400,000 BC and may have been the last place for Neanderthals, it became a separate country in 1139 (although it didn't acquire Algarve the southern region until 1249).

The history of Portugal is long, so I won't go into details, but I will cover Guimarães which was the first capital of Portugal.

Guimarães is a city located in northern Portugal, in the district of Braga. Its historic town centre is listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001, in recognition for being an "exceptionally well-preserved and authentic example of the evolution of a medieval settlement into a modern town" in Europe.

The city has a population of 152.309 inhabitants according the most recent data of 2019 in an area of 240.95 square kilometres (93.03 sq mi).Guimarães, along with Maribor, Slovenia, was the European Capital of Culture in 2012.

The city was settled in the 9th century, at which time it was called Vimaranes. This denomination might have had its origin in the warrior Vímara Peres, who chose this area as the main government seat for the County of Portugal which he conquered for the Kingdom of Galicia. Guimarães has a significant historical importance due to the role it played in the foundation of Portugal. The city is often referred to as the "birthplace of Portugal" or "the cradle city" (Cidade Berço in Portuguese) because it is widely believed that Portugal's first King, Afonso Henriques, was born there, and also due to the fact that the Battle of São Mamede - which is considered the seminal event for the foundation of the Kingdom of Portugal - was fought in the vicinity of the city.

While I've been to Guimaraes my pictures are mostly of family.

Seeing the collection by hfjacinto makes me consider expanding my own Gulden type set into a complete collection of coins from the Netherlands.