BRAZIL, Colonial. Joao VI, as king of Portugal, 1816-1822. 960 Reis 1819 R (Billon, 39 mm, 16.46 g, 12 h), pattern. Birmingham, Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo. JOANNES•VI•D•G•PORT•BRAS•ET•ALG•REX• // 960 / 1819 / ✱R✱ Crown above value, date and mintmark within wreath.
Rev. * / A&M / [...] / ✱[...] / BIRM M within wreath. Gomes-. KM-. Russo-. Apparently unpublished save for its previous auction appearance. Some scratches
, otherwise, very fine.
From the collection of a Swiss scholar, ex UBS 51, 30 January 2001, 2094.
This 960 Reis (Patacão) pattern with a plain edge (ensaio monetário sem serrilha) appears to be unpublished. There are theories suggesting that, during the 1810s, an unofficial mint in São Paulo may have produced Brazilian gold and silver coins with support from the British Birmingham Mint. These theories are based primarily on documented British involvement in Portuguese and Brazilian coinage during the Napoleonic Wars (Frank Gilboy: Misadventures of a Mint - Boulton, Watt & Co. and the 'Mint for the Brazils, in: BNJ 60 (1990), pp. 113-120). Known examples from this unusual chapter in Brazilian coinage history were struck using the dies of official coins (cf. Heritage Long Beach Signature Sale 3026, 25-27 September, 23938-23940). The obverse of this piece matches the official 960 Reis coin (Gomes 25.06, Russo 477). However, the reverse supports the theory of Birmingham Mint involvement, making this piece particularly intriguing. It may be a pattern for alloy determination, which could explain its low silver content. Whether minted in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, or Birmingham, this coin remains an exceptional rarity.
