File:Brazil 1820 4000 reis obv Heritage 3020-23269.jpg

This specimen was lot 23269 in Heritage sale 3020 (Long Beach, September 2012), where it sold for $129,250. The catalog description^[1] noted, "Joao VI gold 4000 Reis 1820(B), KM327.3, Russo-581, MS62 NGC, lightly toned with exceptionally bold design features, struck at the Bahia Mint without mintmark. This piece lists simply as "Rare" or "Extremely Rare" in every reference material we consulted including Krause, Russo, Gomez, Salgado, Prober and others. Missing from Eliasberg, Norweb and most importantly Carlos Costa's collection which now sits at the Banco Espirito Santo Museum. The only record we know of a 1820 Bahia 4000 Reis is from the Thomas Faistauer collection sold by Hess-Divo in the 1990's (which may well be this very coin). In any event, this is a major gold rarity struck in Brazil just at the dawn of its independence a couple of years later. Adding to the incredible appeal of this coin, of course, is that it is in mint state condition."