Moeda de Prata de D. Pedro II

The silver used for these coins often came from Brazil's fledgling mines, directly tying Portugal's colonial ventures to its currency.

That made the Moeda de Prata a key player in trade routes stretching from Lisbon to Goa. Struck with crude dies in the Lisbon mint, the coin typically featured D. Pedro II's bust on one side and the royal arms on the other. Variations in weight suggest some planchets were improvised from scrap metal, possibly old Spanish pieces captured in skirmishes.

We don't know the exact mintage figures; records from that era are spotty at best. What survives shows these coins circulated widely, from African outposts to Asian ports, before inflation devalued them.

Oddly enough, finding one in good condition today is like spotting a genuine antique in a tourist trap—rarer than you'd think.