Pataca of Afonso VI in Brazil

I've turned over countless Portuguese colonial coins in my three decades, and what's most intriguing about the alleged 'Pataca of Afonso VI in Brazil' is the possibility that it never existed as such—despite the myths swirling around Afonso's reign from 1656 to 1683. Struck in silver and likely imitating Spanish designs, any coins from that era in Brazil would have been imported from Lisbon or counterfeited locally, as the colony lacked its own mint until much later. We know Afonso's troubled rule involved economic strains that might have led to such adaptations, but records are spotty; whatever was circulating probably resembled the 8-real pieces from Spanish America, melted down and restriking for trade. It's unclear if 'pataca' was even a term used there, more common in Asian outposts like Macau. Mintage figures? Gone, likely with the fires that devoured archives over the centuries. If this coin does turn up, it's a rarity born of necessity, not royal decree—though I've seen enough fakes to stay skeptical. That said, handling one would still stir a quiet thrill, even if it's just another echo of empire's frayed edges.