Meio Tostão of Maria II

The Meio Tostão of Maria II was struck from silver planchets often recycled from melted-down Spanish reales, a practical measure during Portugal's economic strains in the 1830s.

That recycling wasn't just thrift; it reflected the messy realities of international trade, where foreign coins flooded Portuguese ports and ended up in the melting pot. The coin itself, a half tostão, featured a simple portrait of the queen on one side and the national arms on the other, all crammed onto a tiny silver disk no larger than a modern thumbnail.

Exact mintage figures for most years are murky; records from the Lisbon mint were spotty, and some were lost in bureaucratic shuffles. Still, these coins circulated widely in daily commerce, from Lisbon's markets to the Azores.

Handling one today, you might note the edge often shows file marks from adjustments, a sign of the mint's haste. As for humor, let's just say it's the numismatic equivalent of pocket change that vanished into sofa cushions.