1 Escudo 1940 Portugal

During World War II, Portugal's 1940 1 Escudo was struck from aluminum salvaged from scrap, a practical shift to conserve copper and other strategic metals amid global shortages.

That makes it one of the few coins from that era lightweight enough to float in water if you tried, though I wouldn't recommend it. The obverse features the Portuguese coat of arms, encircled by the national motto, while the reverse shows the denomination and date, all in a simple, no-frills design typical of wartime economies.

Mintage figures for this coin are murky; official records from the Lisbon Mint during the early 1940s weren't always kept meticulously, so exact numbers remain uncertain. What we do know is that it circulated widely in Portugal, helping everyday transactions when imports were scarce.

Collectors sometimes overlook it for shinier pieces, but its survival in decent condition is a testament to how unassuming coins can endure.