Portugal - 1 Escudo 1910

[Manjarin]

My favorite Portuguese coin:

Designation: 5 Outubro 1910 - Implantação da República
Metal: Silver
Composition: Ag 835
Weight: 25 gr
Size: 37 mm
Edge: Serrated
Autor: Anv: Francisco dos Santos; Rev: José Simões de Almeida
KM: #560
Year: 1914

[Figleaf]

That coin fits right in with the personifications discussed here. That's liberty for you, complete with phrygian cap, branch of olive and rising sun. Do you know something about the landscape behind her?

What I find striking is the font used. It's all symmetric and straight, without capitals, diacritics and interpuncition and then, suddenly, there's that big capital O sticking out. It's only after you have discovered the 5 that you see that the designer was trying to bring back some equilibrium.

Peter

[RVCOINS]

Hi Manjarin,

do you know why they struck this escudo 4 years later ?

thanks

Roland

[chrisild]

It is a commemorative issue, and interestingly there was no escudo at that time. The Portuguese escudo was introduced on 22 May 1911. So the date on the coin, referring to the revolution or the "birth" of the republic, was not intended to be understood as a date of issue.

As for the scene with Liberty, I think she holds the Portuguese republican flag; I can sort of recognize the armillary sphere. And then there is the sun in the background ...

Christian

[Manjarin]

Hi Manjarin,

do you know why they struck this escudo 4 years later ?

thanks

Roland

Well it is a commemorative coin. the first commemorative coin of Portuguese Republic, so it's normal the delay for 4 years.

[Figleaf]

As for the scene with Liberty, I think she holds the Portuguese republican flag; I can sort of recognize the armillary sphere. And then there is the sun in the background ...

I think you're right, Christian. Haven't figured out if the part below and left of the sun is flag or something else yet, bit it'll come...

Peter

[Manjarin]

Haven't figured out if the part below and left of the sun is flag or something else yet, bit it'll come...

Peter

Correct, it's a republican flag

[chrisild]

Just had a look at the Schön; according to that catalog she is holding a torch ...

Christian

[Figleaf]

That did it. Now I got the whole picture. It is a problem to get relief on coins. Medal engravers often underestimate how flat a coin must be to be practical. The style reminds me of contemporary french bronze coins: a wealth of detail struggling against relief. Great coin to look at, Manjarin.

Peter

[Manjarin]

As i said at initial post, it's my favorite coin from Portuguese Republic.

[RVCOINS]

Thanks Guys for the info

Roland

[translateltd]

Just had a look at the Schön; according to that catalog she is holding a torch ...

Christian

When I first looked at it, I thought she had her foot in the air ...

[Luis]

Yeah, it's a torch. It's not immediately clear, probably because of what Peter said, but I very much wish the coin had a higher relief.

This is the only commemorative coin from the Portuguese Republic I don't have. I didn't find the right specimen yet...

[lusomosa]

A very apropriate coin, as Portugal celebrated 100 years of being a republic last week.



LP