20 Escudos 1978

The 1978 20 Escudos coin was one of the first Portuguese commemoratives struck in silver after the 1974 Carnation Revolution, signaling a return to more substantial metal in coinage amid economic shifts.

That silver content—0.925 fine—meant it carried actual intrinsic value, unlike the base-metal escudos that dominated the era. The obverse shows the Portuguese coat of arms, while the reverse features a design by artist João de Sousa Araújo, likely depicting a historical motif such as a ship or national symbol; exact details vary by source.

Mintage figures are murky; official records from the Lisbon Mint for that year aren't fully reliable. If you're hunting one, expect it in proof or uncirculated condition, as most didn't enter general circulation.

Collectors sometimes mistake it for just another escudo, but ignoring its place in post-revolution numismatics is a bit like overlooking the revolution itself—quicker than you'd think.