40 Reis of Pedro III

The 40 Reis coin under Pedro III was struck using copper from Brazilian mines, a direct tie to Portugal's colonial resources that kept the economy afloat during his short reign.

That makes it one of the few Portuguese coins explicitly linking the metropole to its overseas empire through raw materials. The obverse typically shows Pedro III's bust, while the reverse bears the Portuguese coat of arms and the denomination. Minted in Lisbon from 1777 to 1786, these pieces circulated widely in daily transactions, from Lisbon markets to distant outposts.

Exact mintage figures are murky; records from that era were spotty, and many burned in the 1838 fire at the Torre do Tombo archive. Still, varieties exist with subtle die differences that keep things interesting for those who look closely.

I've handled dozens of these over the years, and let me tell you, they don't glisten like gold—but they tell a straighter story than most.