Brazil 1716-B 2000 reis
This specimen was lot 1118 in the Eliasberg sale, where it sold for $1,840. The catalog description[1] noted, "1716 2,000 reis. Rio mint. Types as above. Lustrous medium gold. From the John H. Clapp Collection; Clapp estate to Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr., 1942."
This type was struck in Bahia 1714-25. Despite the normally reliable Stack's description, this specimen is not an issue of the Rio mint, as evidenced by four large "B's" on the reverse. The type is not recorded for Rio except for 1723-27 (KM 112) and for Minas Gerais in 1724-27 (KM 114). Later issues (1749-93) were only 4.03 g, like explaining the scarcity of these early issues.
The gold coinage of Brazil presents problems which have not been resolved to this author's satisfaction. The early series of "moedas provinciales" (1000, 2000 and 4000 réis struck 1714-27) were struck to the standard of 12,600 réis/troy oz. The later series of "moedas provinciales" (1000, 2000 and 4000 réis struck 1749-1822) were struck to the standard of 16,800 réis/troy oz, which seems a straightforward reduction of 25% of the value of the gold réis. However, simultaneous with the "moedas provinciales" were struck the "moedas luso-brasileiras" (800, 1600, 3200, 6400 and 12800 réis struck 1727-1822) to the standard of 15,120 réis/troy oz. This standard values the gold réis 20% lower than the 1714-27 standard and matched the standard used in Portugal itself (see the 4 escudos or peça, struck in Portugal 1722-1835, which matches the 6400 réis of Brazil). How did merchants of the time cope with multiple weight standards for the same currency?
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 5.37 g, 0.917 fine gold, .158 troy oz AGW; this specimen: 5.35 grams, 23.50 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM 105, Fr-31.
- Amato, Claudio, and Irlei S. Neves, Livro das Moedas do Brasil, 14a ed. Sao Paulo, 2015.
- [1]Kraljevich, John, John Pack, Elizabeth O. Piper and Frank Van Valen, The Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr., Collection of World Gold Coins and Medals, Wolfboro, NH: American Numismatic Rarities, 2005.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- Alberto Gomes and Francisco Antonio Magro, Moedas Portuguesas e do Território Que Hoje é Portugal: Catálogo das Moedas Cunhadas para o Continentes e Ilhas Adjacentes, para os Territórios do Ultramar e Grão-Mestres Portugueses da Ordem de Malta, 6ª Edição, Lisbon: Associação Numismática de Portugal, 2013.
- Pimentel, Alvaro Mendes, Catálogo de Moedas Brasileiras de 1643 a 1962, 9a Ed., Rio de Janeiro, 1962.
Link to:
- 1715-B 1000 réis
- Portugal 1716 1000 reis
- 1715-B 2000 réis
- 1715-R 4000 réis
- 1716-R 4000 réis
- 1716-B 4000 réis
- Coins and currency dated 1716
- other specimens in The Eliasberg Collection
- return to coins of Brazil