Tostão - Afonso VI

Afonso VI came to the throne as a minor in 1656, with his mother Luísa de Gusmão serving as regent through 1662 — a period when Portugal was still fighting the Restoration War against Spain that had begun in 1640. Silver coinage during these years had to compete with chronic shortages of bullion and the constant financial drain of maintaining armies on the Alentejo frontier. The tostão, worth 100 réis, was a workhorse denomination through all of it.

The Gomes references A6 22 and A6 23 distinguish between die variants produced across the reign, likely reflecting changes at the Lisbon mint as administrative control shifted from the regency to the king's own — ultimately short — personal rule.