50 Escudos 1964 Portugal

The 50 Escudos coin of 1964 stands out for its unusually large size and intricate engravings, which were inspired by contemporary Portuguese banknotes, making it a peculiar choice for pocket change.

Weighing in at around 10 grams and measuring 29 millimeters across, it was struck in cupro-nickel at the Lisbon Mint. The obverse shows the Portuguese coat of arms, while the reverse features a codfish, a nod to the country's fisheries—hardly the stuff of high drama, but practical for the era. Mintage figures are spotty; official records from that period were poorly kept, so exact numbers remain unclear.

As for myths, I've heard tales of it being a transitional piece toward decimalization, but that's just speculation. It circulated widely until the escudo's end in 2002. People often mistook it for a token at first glance.

Not that it fooled many pickpockets.