10 Escudos 1963 Portugal

This 1963 10 Escudos coin from Portugal features Christopher Columbus on its reverse, an unusual choice for a nation that typically celebrated its own explorers.

Struck in cupro-nickel, it weighs about 8 grams and measures 28 millimeters across, with a design that includes Columbus's portrait alongside a caravel, evoking his voyages. Mintage figures are murky; official records from that era were often incomplete, and I've never seen a reliable tally in my three decades handling these pieces.

What I do know is that this coin was part of Portugal's effort to nod to global history amid its own colonial narrative. Some versions show minor die variations, like subtle differences in the ship's rigging, which can trip up even seasoned collectors.

The edge inscription, reading "Deus, Pátria, e Rei," hints at the authoritarian regime's influence, though that's a stretch for numismatics.

It's easy to confuse with similar Spanish issues from the time.