12 Vinténs - João Prince Regent

The 12 vinténs denomination — equivalent to 240 réis — was a workhorse of Portuguese commerce during João's regency, a period defined less by monetary policy than by catastrophe. Napoleon's invasion of 1807 forced the entire Bragança court to flee Lisbon for Rio de Janeiro under British naval escort, and the Lisbon mint's operations were effectively subordinated to the chaos of occupation and reconquest. Coins of this type were struck across multiple mints, including Lisbon and Porto, accounting for the die variations catalogued under Gomes JR 20 and JR 21.