Catalog
20 Escudos Prova
| Issuer | Casa da Moeda de Lisboa |
|---|---|
| Year | 1952 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 10.0 g |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Central device depicts the Portuguese armillary sphere, a symbol of the Age of Discovery, rendered in high relief with two crossed navigational instruments (rulers or swords) behind it. The Portuguese royal arms appear at the centre of the sphere. The circular legend REPÚBLICA · PORTUGUESA runs along the full periphery, with the date 1952 at the base flanked by small rosette stops. The word PROVA appears incuse or in small lettering within the field to the right of the sphere, identifying this piece as an official trial strike. A beaded border encircles the entire composition. |
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| Reverse lettering | REPÚBLICA · PORTUGUESA PROVA 1952 |
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| Additional information |
Casa da Moeda struck pattern coinage — *provas* — as internal approval pieces before committing to full production runs, and the 1952 20 Escudos sits in that narrow documentary category. Portugal's Estado Novo regime under Salazar was tightly controlling public finances through the early 1950s, and currency design decisions moved slowly through official channels. Most provas from this mint survive in tiny numbers, often just a handful of confirmed specimens, with the majority retained in institutional collections rather than released to the public.