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20 Réis - Maria I and Pedro III Countermarked 10 Réis
| Issuer | Brazil |
|---|---|
| Year | 1778-1785 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | Central device depicts an armillary sphere rendered in detail with meridian rings and a horizontal band, presented against a plain field. The sphere is enclosed within an inner beaded circle. The peripheral legend, in capital Roman letters separated by pellets, encircles the device and reads the Latin motto affirming the global reach of Portuguese commerce. The outer rim is defined by a continuous milled or grained border. |
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| Additional information |
Portugal's colonial copper coinage in Brazil suffered chronic shortages through the 1770s, and the countermark program authorized under Maria I and Pedro III was a direct administrative response — existing 10 Réis pieces were stamped and doubled in face value to stretch the circulating supply without striking new coins. It was a pragmatic fix for an underfunded colonial mint rather than a deliberate monetary policy.
KM#272 pieces show wide variation in host coin condition beneath the countermark, since the program made no selection for quality.