Catalog
50 Avos Pattern
| Issuer | Portuguese Timor (1910-2002) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1945-1951 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 50 Avos (0.50) |
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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 | The denomination '50' is prominently displayed in large numerals at the centre of the field, with 'AVOS' inscribed immediately below in smaller lettering. The word 'PROVA' (Portuguese for 'proof' or 'pattern') appears beneath the denomination, confirming the trial status of the piece. A spray of two olive branches rises from the lower field, framing the denomination from below. The circular legend 'COLONIA DE TIMOR' runs along the upper periphery in Latin script. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
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| Mintage | 1945 - Gomes # L1 E3.01 - 1948 - Gomes # L1 E3.02 - 1951 - Gomes # L1 E3.03 - |
| Additional information |
Portuguese Timor produced almost no coinage of its own during the early postwar years — the territory relied heavily on circulating issues from metropolitan Portugal and neighboring colonial mints. This pattern was struck at some point between 1945 and 1951 as part of an exploratory series to establish a dedicated Timorese coinage, a project that moved slowly given Lisbon's limited administrative attention to its smallest and most isolated possession. The .650 silver alloy is consistent with transitional colonial issues of the period, as Portugal was progressively debasing its colonial silver across multiple territories simultaneously.
No regular-issue 50 Avos in silver ever reached circulation for Timor. The pattern remained exactly that.