1 Escudo Estado Novo Portugal

The 1932 Escudo marked Portugal's shift to a nickel composition, replacing copper alloys amid the global economic slump and Salazar's regime consolidation.

This coin, part of the Estado Novo series, bore a simple design: the national coat of arms on one side and a value inscription on the other. Minted in Lisbon, it represented the escudo's role in everyday transactions during a period of strict financial controls. We know production continued through 1947, but exact figures for some years remain murky, lost in wartime records.

Nickel proved practical for circulation, though it lacked the allure of precious metals. As for myths about hidden treasures in these coins, let's just say they were more about making change than making history.