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XXXX Reais 'Real Português' - João III Cross with small quadrifoils, Lisboa
| Issuer | Portugal |
|---|---|
| Year | 1538-1555 |
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| Value | 40 Réis (Reais) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Central field displays the royal cypher 'IO III' (Joannes III) surmounted by a royal crown, below which the denomination mark 'XXXX' (40 Réis) is struck. The design is enclosed within a beaded inner circle. A circular Latin legend runs along the periphery, partially visible due to the irregular flan, referencing the king's titles. The overall style is characteristic of Portuguese hammered coinage of the mid-sixteenth century, with bold, hand-engraved lettering and uneven relief typical of the period. |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | All coins ---------Io III AG# J3 67.01 --------------- IOANES III R PORTVGA AG# J3 67.02 to 68.04---- REX : PORTVGALIE AL DG AG# J3 68.05--------------- IO REX PORTVGALIE AL |
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| Additional information |
João III inherited a treasury strained by the cost of maintaining Estado da India, and his silver coinage reflects the fiscal tension of a crown simultaneously enriched and bankrupted by empire. The "Real Português" denomination was introduced as part of a broader monetary reorganization meant to bring Portuguese silver into closer alignment with Castilian standards — a pragmatic concession to the realities of Iberian trade rather than any act of monetary reform for its own sake.
The Gomes references J3 67 and J3 68 denote distinct die varieties; collectors working this series should treat them as separate types rather than interchangeable examples of the same issue.