200 Escudos Florida

Portugal's 200 escudo bimetallic commemorative program was among the most prolific of any European mint in the 1990s, issuing dozens of pieces tied to the Discoveries series — but this copper-nickel piece sits outside that bimetallic run, produced at lower cost and in higher quantities for broader circulation. The Florida issue marks the 500th anniversary of João Ponce de León's association with the region, though the precise chain of Portuguese exploration credit versus Spanish colonial administration has always complicated how Portugal frames that particular anniversary.

Two die varieties are catalogued under Gomes R 136.01 and R 136.02, distinguished by differences in the edge lettering application.