João Prince Regent "São Paulo" 960 Reis 1815-B AU Details (Environmental Damage) NGC, Bahia mint, cf. KM307.1 (for regal strike), cf. LMB-400 (same). "Suposta para São Paulo" issue. Overstruck on a Spanish Colonial 8 Reales. Minimal spotting likely from a hoard. A whimsical "parallel" issue, believed to have been made for the São Paulo Province. According to Nogueira da Gama's "Paralelas" do Rio sob D. João P. Regente, the diffuse and heterogenic currency present in early XIX century Brazil led both mint workers and bankers/silversmiths to unofficially overstrike foreign hosts in attempts to contribute to the high demand of coined silver and to evade the Crown's taxes. Da Gama narrates that these "São Paulo" types are amongst the most prominent and recognized form of such contraband. Die engravers' aims to mimic Rio dies' features turned out too crude, so they re-engraved the mintmark R into a B. HID09801242017 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved

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