Meio Escudo of Maria I

The most intriguing aspect of the Meio Escudo from Maria I's reign is that it was often minted using silver recycled from older Spanish reales, a pragmatic solution to Portugal's chronic bullion shortages in the late 18th century.

This fractional coin, valued at half an escudo, was produced at the Lisbon mint between 1780 and 1790. It typically features Maria I's profile on the obverse, draped in regal attire, and a simple cross on the reverse—nothing flashy, just the basics of the era's coinage. Sizes varied slightly, but most weighed around 1.7 grams, making them easy to overlook in a pocket.

Exact mintage figures? They're murky. Records from that period were spotty, and whatever survived likely burned in the 1838 fire at the national archive. As for myths, I've heard tales of these coins being cursed by disgruntled miners, but that's just tavern talk.

One oddity: the edge is sometimes reeded, which might fool you into thinking it's a modern piece. It's not.