500 Escudos 1940
Portugal
1940
Reference data compiled from public catalogs
Estimated Melt Value
$65.11
Based on Silver spot price ($78.96/oz) · 91.6% purity · 28g
Updated 10:08 PM
Collector premium not included
Specifications
| Country | Portugal |
| Years Minted | 1940 |
| Composition | Silver 0.916 |
| Weight | 28 g |
| Diameter | 35 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Reeded |
Design
Obverse
Features the coat of arms of Portugal.
Reverse
Depicts the Monument to the Discoveries and elements related to the Portuguese World Exhibition.
History & Notable Facts
This 500 Escudos coin from 1940 was struck in gold, a bold choice for Portugal during the early months of World War II, to commemorate the Exposição do Mundo Português in Lisbon. That exhibition, meant to showcase the nation's colonial past, proceeded despite the global turmoil.
Its obverse features the Portuguese coat of arms encircled by the nation's motto, while the reverse depicts a caravel and the date, all engraved by sculptor José Simões de Almeida. Mintage figures are murky; records from that era were often incomplete.
The coin's edge is reeded, a practical detail to deter clipping in uncertain times. As for its survival, many ended up in hoards, perhaps because owners sensed the escudo's instability. That's one way metal remembers history.
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