Catalog
1000 escudos Dom Henrique, Açores
| Issuer | Portugal |
|---|---|
| Year | 2017 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | 163 × 84 mm |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The left portion of the reverse is dominated by a large intaglio-style vignette of a goshawk's head in blue-grey tones, overlaid with a sextant motif, set against a panoramic coastal landscape. At centre, a wind rose compass and a fully-rigged Portuguese carrack occupy the middle field, flanked by a historical scene of explorers and dignitaries at upper right. The transparent window at the far right carries a sailing ship within a compass star cartouche, while the lower register displays the year 1427, the legend Ponta Delgada in gothic script, the Portuguese shield, and the denomination 1000 in gold numerals amid vivid guilloche scrollwork. |
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| Protection description | Clear polymer window at the right side of the note, containing a sailing ship within a compass star cartouche |
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| Comments |
This note was never legal tender. Issued by a private Portuguese publisher as a commemorative novelty item rather than by the Banco de Portugal or any monetary authority, it has no face value in any transactional sense. The "Açores" designation and the 1000 escudos denomination are purely decorative — Portugal adopted the euro in 2002, and the escudo ceased to be valid currency that year.
Collector pieces of this type are produced on polymer substrate specifically to mimic the security aesthetics of genuine banknotes, which creates persistent confusion at the point of sale. Franck Medina has produced similar commemorative designs for multiple Lusophone themes.