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50 Réis - Afonso VI Countermark 'Crowned SO' over 'XXXX Réis'
| Issuer | Portuguese Royal Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 1663 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Real (1517-1835) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse lettering | XXXX |
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| Additional information |
This piece belongs to a chaotic monetary episode in mid-seventeenth century Portugal, when the Crown undertook a systematic revaluation of existing coinage rather than striking fresh issues. Worn or surplus 40 Réis pieces were countermarked and restruck to circulate at an elevated 50 Réis denomination — a fiscal expedient driven by the financial strain of the Restoration War against Spain, which had been grinding on since 1640. Afonso VI's government needed liquidity without the cost of a full new mint run.
The double-authority nature of the mark — "Crowned SO" punched over the existing "XXXX Réis" — means the original host coin remains partially legible on most examples, making die attribution unusually traceable for a countermark issue.