Português (coin)
16th century Portuguese gold coin / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The português, portuguez, or golden Portuguese, was a high-value 16th century Portuguese gold coin, in fact the most valuable coin in Europe at the time it was issued.[1]
Commissioned by King Manuel of Portugal to commemorate the Portuguese Empire and Discoveries, it was first minted shortly before the voyage of Vasco da Gama, who carried some in his expedition to India in 1497.[2] It weighed 35 grams and was worth 10 gold cruzados or ducats.[3] On the obverse it featured the coat-of-arms of Portugal, around which a Latin rendering of the Portuguese royal title was inscribed, and on the reverse the cross of the Order of Christ and the Latin inscription In Hoc Signo Vinces ("By This Sign You Shall Triumph"). It was intended as a symbol of prestige and to be used in large commercial transactions rather than everyday use, particularly for the purchase of spices in Asia, and remained in issue throughout the reign of Manuel's son and successor, John III, but it was discontinued in 1555.[4] Approximately 400,000 golden Portuguese are estimated to have been struck between 1500 and 1538, equivalent to 14.2 tons in gold.[5]
In November 2011, the government of Portugal issued 150,000 commemorative replicas of the português, worth 7,50 euro.[6]