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10 Reis - Maria II Countermark 'CROWNED SHIELD' over '5 Reis José'
| Issuer | Angola |
|---|---|
| Year | 1837 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Real (18th century-1914) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse lettering | AFRICA·PORTUGUEZA·1770 · V · |
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| Additional information |
Angola in the 1830s suffered a chronic shortage of small change, and rather than ship new coinage from Lisbon, the colonial administration resorted to countermarking existing copper. Worn 5 Reis pieces from the reign of José I — coins already decades old by 1837 — were restruck with a crowned shield and circulated at double their face value. It was a pragmatic solution to a supply problem that Lisbon showed little urgency in solving.
The countermark itself is frequently weak or partially struck, a consequence of applying a punch to irregular, already-degraded flans.