Pedro II copper Proof Pattern 40 Reis 1833-R PR64 Brown NGC, Rio de Janeiro mint, KM-Pn39, LMB-E056, Bentes-E45.01 (R4). By all measures, a rare Pattern, and one entirely missing from all major auction catalogs we have consulted, save for the so-called Vila Rica specimen plated by Bentes. Minted in the third year of Pedro II's long reign, just before the reform of 1834, the exact circumstances surrounding the production of this proposed issue are largely uncertain. Though large copper 40 Reis had been struck at Rio de Janeiro in 1832 in reasonably large numbers, the only pieces of this denomination produced for standard circulation in 1833 were the comparatively small emissions from Cuiaba, after which no new 40 Reis were struck until 1873. Issued on a carefully prepared, plain-edge planchet with devices that reveal a level of execution almost universally absent from this series. Fiery cupric red accents silhouette the design elements, while a subtle cobalt hue is discernible within the fields when viewed in hand. The margins on both sides exhibit fine rust, while a minor planchet flaw is observed at the 1 in the date, perhaps providing some indication to the circumstances under which such Patterns were minted. Needless to say a fascinating issue worthy of further research and likely the only opportunity most collectors will have to obtain an example. Ex. Heritage Auctions #3109 (August 2023, Lot 31079); Heritage Auctions #3093 (October 2021, Lot 30047); Norweb Collection (Spink America March 1997, Lot 1171) HID09801242017 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved

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