40 Réis - Pedro II Countermarked 80 Réis, KM# 379

In 1835, Brazil's imperial government authorized a sweeping countermark revaluation program, doubling the face value of existing 40 réis copper coinage to 80 réis by punching a crowned "80" stamp directly onto circulating pieces. This was less monetary policy than fiscal triage — the government lacked the mint capacity to produce sufficient new coinage and faced chronic small-denomination shortages in the interior provinces. The countermark itself was applied at multiple facilities, and the consistency of strike varies considerably between examples.

KM#446 is the countermarked coin as a distinct type; the host coin beneath it is KM#379.