Real de D. João VI
Portugal
1816–1826
Reference data compiled from public catalogs
Estimated Melt Value
$61.72
Based on Silver spot price ($79.15/oz) · 89.6% purity · 27.07g
Updated 10:13 PM
Collector premium not included
Specifications
| Country | Portugal |
| Years Minted | 1816–1826 |
| Composition | 89.6% silver |
| Weight | 27.07 g |
| Diameter | 39 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Reeded |
Design
Obverse
Bust of King João VI facing right, surrounded by his royal titles.
Reverse
Crowned coat of arms of Portugal, with the denomination and date.
History & Notable Facts
This coin, the Real de D. João VI, was minted in Rio de Janeiro during a time when Portugal's court had fled to Brazil to escape Napoleon. That made it one of the few Portuguese coins produced outside Europe, a direct result of geopolitical upheaval.
The design typically shows the king's bust on the obverse, with the Portuguese coat of arms on the reverse. Struck from silver, often recycled from older coins due to wartime shortages, these pieces highlight the era's resourcefulness. Mintage figures vary by year, but records from the 1820s are spotty—likely destroyed in later conflicts.
As for myths, no, it wasn't a secret symbol of Brazilian independence; that's romantic nonsense. Some variants exist, though experts still debate their exact origins.
A dry note: If you think collecting these makes you a historian, wait until you try polishing one.
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