100 Escudos 1928

The 1928 100 Escudos was struck in Philadelphia, a common practice for Portuguese coins during that era due to limited domestic minting capacity.

That outsourcing meant the coin's production quality often surpassed what Portugal could achieve at home, with crisp details on the obverse's coat of arms and the reverse's value inscription. Made from 0.900 fine gold, it weighs about 8.1 grams and has a diameter of 22 millimeters, reflecting standard specifications for the time. We don't know the exact mintage figures; records from the Portuguese mint are spotty for the 1920s.

What we do know is that this coin circulated briefly before economic turmoil pulled it from use. In my three decades handling these, I've seen how wear patterns reveal their everyday role, not just as bullion but as currency in a fledgling republic. Pity the myths persist—it's just a coin, not a talisman.