5 Escudos Pattern

São Tomé and Príncipe was still a Portuguese overseas province in 1971, and this pattern was struck as part of the metropolitan government's effort to modernize the island territory's coinage ahead of reforms that would ultimately be overtaken by events. The Carnation Revolution of April 1974 collapsed the Estado Novo regime within three years of this piece being struck, accelerating decolonization and rendering the entire pattern series moot before any design reached circulation.

The Gomes E6.05 reference places this among a small group of copper-nickel trial pieces for which confirmed mintage figures remain unpublished.