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320 Réis - João Prince Regent Countermarked 300 Réis, KM#178.
| Issuer | Casa da Moeda do Brasil (Rio de Janeiro Mint) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1809 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
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| Obverse description | Central field displays the Portuguese royal arms — a crowned shield bearing the quinas (five escutcheons) — surmounted by an elaborate royal crown topped with a cross. To the left of the shield, the countermark value '300' is applied in three stacked numerals within a rectangular punch, flanked by small star ornaments. The date '1753' appears in the lower exergue, reflecting the original host coin's date of issue. The field is plain with a finely reeded border. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse lettering | SVBQ· SIGN. NATA STAB. B |
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| Additional information |
The countermark program of 1809 was a fiscal stopgap: the Portuguese crown, having relocated to Rio de Janeiro the previous year under British naval escort to escape Napoleon's invasion, faced an immediate shortage of circulating silver. Rather than strike entirely new coinage, existing 320 Réis pieces were stamped with a crowned globe mark and revalued downward to 300 Réis — an acknowledgment that the coins had been circulating at an inflated rate relative to their actual silver content.
The Rio mint had only just been formally reestablished by royal decree on June 13, 1808. Applying countermarks was faster than retooling for fresh production.