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Ceitil - João III Group 2 - Castle with wall in two bodies
| Issuer | Portugal |
|---|---|
| Year | 1522-1536 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Copper |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The Portuguese royal coat of arms occupies the central field, depicted either crowned or accompanied by three roundels (quinas) in the surrounding arrangement, consistent with the heraldic conventions of João III's reign. The escutcheon is rendered in a schematic style characteristic of hammered copper coinage of this period. A circular legend surrounds the central device, subject to numerous die variations as typical for this issue. The overall design is consistent with standard ceitil reverse types, with the legend identifying the monarch and his royal titles. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
The ceitil was among the lowest denominations in circulation during João III's reign, but its reach extended far beyond Portugal proper. These coins circulated heavily in Portuguese North Africa — Ceuta in particular, from which the denomination almost certainly takes its name — where they served as the practical currency of garrison towns and trading posts. João III's reign saw increasing strain on those African holdings, and by the 1540s Portugal would begin abandoning several of them entirely.
The "Group 2" classification distinguishes the castle rendered with its wall divided into two distinct bodies, a die characteristic used to separate issues that are otherwise difficult to sequence chronologically within the 1522–1536 window.