5000 Escudos 3rd. print

The five print dates spanning 1995 to 1998 reflect routine replenishment rather than any monetary crisis — Portugal's economy was stable and oriented toward meeting the Maastricht convergence criteria ahead of euro adoption. What makes this third printing catalogically dense is the signature matrix: António José Fernandes de Sousa held the governorship throughout the entire run, pairing with at least six different vice-governors across the five dates. The July 1998 date is the last before escudo notes were effectively superseded by euro-denominated policy, making that final signing combination — including Herlander dos Santos Estrela, who does not appear on earlier dates — the rarest pairing in the series.