Posted 08/17/2015 9:44 pm
Not Spanish colonial, but close.
In the first pic, in the left hand portion of the legend we can read the letters BEM. This is from the legend CIRCUMIT ORBEM PECUNIA TOTUM, which appeared on the copper coinage of Brazil from 1715-1822. In case there's any doubt, we can also see on this side of the coin the top of a coat of arms superimposed on a globe, or rather, the Portuguese heraldic armillary sphere. The right hand legend in the second pic begins JOA, the beginning of the name JOANNES, which narrows it down to King Joćo VI. I'm pretty sure the legend ends on the left with REX, which would narrow the date to 1818-22, but he also had these coins in his name when he was acting as Prince Regent, from 1799-1818. These end with P REGENS, but I think the presence of the arms atop the armillary sphere rules out these earlier coins.
From your comparison pic, it looks to be about two US dimes in diameter, but a quick measure of it should approach 36 mm, for the largest denomination of 40 reis. The 20 reis would be only 30 mm.
In the first pic, in the left hand portion of the legend we can read the letters BEM. This is from the legend CIRCUMIT ORBEM PECUNIA TOTUM, which appeared on the copper coinage of Brazil from 1715-1822. In case there's any doubt, we can also see on this side of the coin the top of a coat of arms superimposed on a globe, or rather, the Portuguese heraldic armillary sphere. The right hand legend in the second pic begins JOA, the beginning of the name JOANNES, which narrows it down to King Joćo VI. I'm pretty sure the legend ends on the left with REX, which would narrow the date to 1818-22, but he also had these coins in his name when he was acting as Prince Regent, from 1799-1818. These end with P REGENS, but I think the presence of the arms atop the armillary sphere rules out these earlier coins.
From your comparison pic, it looks to be about two US dimes in diameter, but a quick measure of it should approach 36 mm, for the largest denomination of 40 reis. The 20 reis would be only 30 mm.
Edited by philadelphian
08/18/2015 07:05 am
08/18/2015 07:05 am
