Catalog
XL Réis - Pedro V Countermark 'Small Crown' countermark
| Issuer | São Tomé and Príncipe |
|---|---|
| Year | 1854 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | Host coin reverse displaying a large armillary sphere at center, a classical Portuguese imperial device symbolizing navigation and maritime dominion, rendered in detail with meridian rings and equatorial band. A circular Latin legend surrounds the sphere, consistent with Brazilian colonial copper coinage of the 18th to early 19th century. The reeded edge of the host coin is visible at the periphery. The surface exhibits patination and light corrosion typical of copper coinage that has circulated extensively in a tropical environment. |
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| Additional information |
Portugal applied countermarks to circulating colonial copper as a cost-saving measure rather than reminting worn or foreign pieces outright. The small crown punch used on São Tomé and Príncipe issues in 1854 validated Portuguese Brazilian 40-réis copper for continued circulation in the islands — reauthorizing coin that had no business being legal tender there without official sanction. The specific Gomes P5.09 attribution distinguishes this small crown type from the large crown countermark applied during overlapping administrative decisions, a distinction that still trips up collectors unfamiliar with the colonial series.