Portugal's chronic shortage of large silver coinage in Brazil led the crown to authorize countermarking foreign specie already circulating in the colony — rather than attempt transatlantic shipment of minted coin. Bolivian cob reales, struck at Potosí from Cerro Rico silver, were abundant in Brazilian trade and became the logical target. The 1663 decree under Afonso VI ordered these macuква-style pieces stamped and revalued to integrate them into the Portuguese colonial monetary system.
KM#19.2 distinguishes the crowned countermark variant applied specifically during this authorization. The host coin's original Potosí assayer marks remain visible beneath.
Portugal's chronic shortage of large silver coinage in Brazil led the crown to authorize countermarking foreign specie already circulating in the colony — rather than attempt transatlantic shipment of minted coin. Bolivian cob reales, struck at Potosí from Cerro Rico silver, were abundant in Brazilian trade and became the logical target. The 1663 decree under Afonso VI ordered these macuква-style pieces stamped and revalued to integrate them into the Portuguese colonial monetary system.
KM#19.2 distinguishes the crowned countermark variant applied specifically during this authorization. The host coin's original Potosí assayer marks remain visible beneath.