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40 Reis - João Prince Regent Countermark SHIELD over 'XX Réis, João V'
| Issuer | Portuguese Crown (for Angola) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1809 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 40 Réis |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Central device depicts an armillary sphere — symbol of the Portuguese Empire — rendered in fine detail with intersecting meridian and latitude bands and a central axis, set against a plain field. The sphere is surrounded by a full circular Latin legend PECVNIA TOTVM CIRCVMIT ORBEM ('Money goes around the whole world'), separated from the inner beaded border by a dotted ring. A small mintmark or privy mark appears at the base below the sphere. |
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| Additional information |
In 1809, with Lisbon under French occupation and the Bragança court relocated to Rio de Janeiro, the colonial administration in Angola faced a chronic shortage of small change. Rather than ship freshly minted coin across the Atlantic, authorities countermarked existing circulating pieces — in this case, João V copper XX Réis struck decades earlier — doubling their face value to 40 Réis by punching a crowned shield onto the host coin. The practice was economical, if administratively imprecise; host coins varied considerably in condition before the mark was applied.
The JR 11 countermark is known on several host types, and authenticating the shield impression matters more than the underlying coin's state.