160 Réis - Maria I and Pedro III Low and High Crowns, Lisbon Mint

Maria I and her husband Pedro III ruled jointly from 1777, though Pedro — her uncle as well as her consort — held no independent political authority and died in 1786, after which Maria continued as sole monarch. The two crown variants documented under Bentes 267 and 268 reflect a mid-series die modification at the Lisbon Mint, with the high crown punch replacing the low crown during the run, a change routine enough that neither variety commands a dramatic premium but significant enough that Bentes catalogued them separately.

Maria suffered a severe mental breakdown in 1792, likely porphyria or acute psychosis, rendering her effectively incapacitated for the final decades of her reign.