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XXXX Reais 'Real Português' - João III Crown with 'o-o', Porto mint
| Issuer | Portugal |
|---|---|
| Year | 1538-1555 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Real Português (40) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Central field features a large royal Portuguese crown in high relief, surmounted by a fleur-de-lis finial, with the regnal cipher 'IO·III' (Joannes III) displayed prominently beneath the crown between two small roundels or pellets serving as separators. The crown design is characteristic of the Manueline-to-Renaissance transitional style, with an arched form and decorative detailing along the band. A beaded inner circle frames the central motif. The surrounding circular legend, separated by stops and ornaments, gives the king's name and titles in abbreviated Latin, with significant variation across die varieties. The overall fabric is irregular, as typical of hammered coinage of this period. |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | All coins--------------- IO*III / XXXX AG# J3 79 to AG# 80.06 ------- REX PORTVGALIE A : G AG# J3 80.07 to AG# 80.10 -- IO REX PORTVGALIE AL AG# J3 81 and AG# J3 82 ---- REX PORTVGALIE ALGA |
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| Additional information |
João III's reign saw Portugal at the administrative peak of its overseas empire, but the crown's finances were chronically strained by the cost of maintaining trading posts from Goa to Elmina. The Porto mint operated intermittently throughout this period, subordinate to Lisbon in volume but producing recognizable regional die work. The 'o-o' privy mark distinguishes Porto issues from Lisbon output within the same Gomes grouping, and the four reference numbers here reflect documented die marriages rather than separate emissions — a granularity unusual for Portuguese silver of this period.