1971 Brazil 50 Centavos

This 50 centavos coin from 1971 was struck in aluminum, a switch that helped Brazil's military government slash production costs during rampant inflation.

That material choice reflected the era's economic tightrope, with the coin's lightweight design making it both practical and prone to easy loss in pockets. Weighing just over two grams, it featured the Brazilian coat of arms on one side and a value inscription on the other, all produced at the Casa da Moeda do Rio de Janeiro.

Records on exact mintage figures are spotty; what we have suggests millions were made, but fires and bureaucratic shifts have muddled the details. Some variants show die variations, interesting for those who dig into such things.

Aluminum coins like this one didn't tarnish like their copper predecessors, though that didn't stop them from vanishing quickly in daily use.