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Tostão - João V Lisbon mint
| Issuer | Portuguese Royal Mint (Casa da Moeda) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1706-1750 |
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| Value | 100 Reis = 1 Tostão |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Central field displays a large royal crown rendered in relief, with a dentilated band at its base and fleurs-de-lis adorning the arches, flanked on either side by quatrefoil ornaments. Below the crown, the denomination numeral LXXX (80 reis) is inscribed in bold Roman numerals within the field. The circular legend reads IOANNES·V·D·G·PORT·ET·ALG·REX, identifying the issuer as João V, King of Portugal and the Algarves, separated by decorative stops. The legend is positioned between two concentric borders, the outer being a reeded collar and the inner a plain raised rim. The overall design is executed in the restrained baroque style characteristic of early 18th-century Portuguese milled coinage. |
|---|---|
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| Edge | Rope-patterned |
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| Additional information |
João V reigned during Portugal's most financially extravagant period, bankrolled almost entirely by Brazilian gold and diamond revenues that flowed through Lisbon for decades. Silver coinage like the tostão was something of an afterthought — the Crown was far more interested in minting the moedas and escudos that advertised its bullion wealth. The result was inconsistent production across the reign, reflected in the number of distinct Gomes varieties attributed to this single denomination.
The Lisbon mint during this period was chronically understaffed relative to its workload, and the tostão series shows it — die alignment and planchet preparation vary considerably across the run.