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20 Réis - Luiz I Countermark 'BIG CROWN' over 20 Réis - Maria II, Mozambique
| Issuer | Azores |
|---|---|
| Year | 1871 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 20 Réis |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Central numeral '20' enclosed within a laurel wreath, with the date '1840' displayed in the exergue below. A large crowned countermark (the 'Big Crown' of Luiz I, applied 1871) is prominently struck above the wreath, overlapping the upper field. The circular legend reads 'PECUNIA.TOTUM.CIRCUMIT.ORBEM' around the periphery. The host coin is a 20 Réis of Maria II originally struck for Mozambique. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
The "Big Crown" countermark program was Portugal's mechanism for validating existing copper coinage for continued circulation in its Atlantic territories rather than recalling and recasting worn stock. This particular piece began life as a Maria II 20 Réis struck for Mozambique, traveled — at least administratively — across Portuguese colonial jurisdiction, and was then restruck with the crowned punch in the Azores during Luiz I's reign to extend its legal tender life.
The Gomes 05.02 attribution distinguishes the larger crown punch from the smaller variant, a detail that matters considerably to completists working this series.