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4000 Réis - Afonso VI Countermark 'Crowned 4' over 4 Cruzados
| Issuer | Portuguese Royal Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 1662-1668 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | The obverse displays the countermark applied during the reign of Afonso VI, consisting of a crowned numeral '4' struck onto the field of the host coin. The countermark is contained within a beaded inner circle, with the crown rendered in high relief above the digit. Partial legends from the underlying host coin are visible around the periphery, their legibility varying according to the specific host piece. The irregular flan and overlapping strike are characteristic of hammered gold coinage of the period. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
During the chaotic early years of Afonso VI's reign, Portugal faced acute gold shortages partly attributable to the ongoing Restoration War against Spain. Rather than strike entirely new coinage, the crown authorized countermarking existing 4 Cruzados pieces with a crowned numeral 4, effectively revaluing and re-authenticating them as 4000 Réis for continued circulation. The countermark itself became the legal instrument — the host coin's original authority was secondary to the royal punch.
The window of 1662–1668 corresponds with the period before Afonso's chief minister the Count of Castelo Melhor consolidated effective power, during which monetary administration was particularly unsettled.