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500 Réis 2nd. print
| Issuer | Banco de Portugal |
|---|---|
| Year | 1899-1900 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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| Obverse description | Printed in light-brown and orange, the obverse presents an allegorical female figure holding a sword and a Portuguese shield at left, with the denomination indicated at centre. The composition is framed by fine guilloche borders typical of late 19th-century intaglio craftsmanship. Issuer name, denomination, and date of issue appear in letterpress along with the facsimile signatures of the Director and Governor. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Printed in red and blue, the reverse is centred on the Portuguese Royal Coat of Arms enclosed within an elaborate oval guilloche vignette, flanked symmetrically by the numeral '500' on each side. Intricate guilloche lacework fills the surrounding field, and a scrolled banner at top carries the issuer name while the denomination in full appears along the lower border. |
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| Comments |
The P#72 500 Réis belongs to a transitional moment in Banco de Portugal's note production — the second print run introduced subtle but deliberate changes to address quality complaints about the first, though neither print is particularly well documented in terms of exact press run figures. What is known is that the late 1890s saw Portugal under severe fiscal strain, with the state having effectively co-opted the Bank's note-issuing capacity to manage public debt obligations following the 1892 sovereign default.
Circulation wear is the norm. Notes from this period were not babied — the 500 Réis denomination changed hands constantly in everyday commerce, and survivors in anything above F condition are notably harder to source than catalog frequency might suggest.