6 Vinténs - Maria I

Maria I's reign produced this denomination during a period when Portugal's monetary system was still anchored to the old réis-based accounting structure, with the vintém — worth 20 réis — functioning as a practical subdivision for everyday commerce. The six-vintém piece at 120 réis occupied an awkward middle position in the hierarchy, neither small enough for petty transactions nor substantial enough for merchant use, which partly explains why surviving examples in better grades are less common than the mintage span might suggest.

The 1786 introduction coincides with early reforms under the Marquis of Ponte de Lima's administration following Pombal's fall, a period of conservative retrenchment after decades of aggressive economic reorganization.