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Ceitil - Manuel I Group 1 - Castle without wall
| Issuer | Portugal |
|---|---|
| Year | 1495-1521 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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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, featuring the traditional escutcheon of Portugal with the five quinas (inescutcheons) arranged in a cross pattern, enclosed within a beaded or plain inner circle. The arms are rendered in the simplified, somewhat crude style characteristic of hammered copper ceitis of the Manueline period. A circular Latin legend, matching that of the obverse, surrounds the armorial design along the coin's periphery. The surface shows extensive green patination consistent with long burial or circulation, with the heraldic details partially obscured by corrosion. |
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| Reverse lettering | + MANVEL·P·R ·ET·AD·GVINEE |
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| Additional information |
Manuel I inherited a monetary system already producing the ceitil — a denomination introduced under Afonso V in the mid-fifteenth century specifically for small transactions in Portuguese North Africa, where it took its name from Ceuta. By Manuel's reign it had become the lowest circulating copper piece in the kingdom, practically synonymous with poverty; contemporary literature used it as shorthand for worthlessness. The Magro Group 1 classification distinguishes this emission by the unfortified castle rendering, a die characteristic that separates early Manuel issues from later variants with wall detailing.