St. Thomas and Prince 1962 5 escudos

from the Mountain Groan Collection

This issue minted in Lisbon for the Portuguese colony of Sao Tomé e Principe, is the last silver five escudos for that colony. Previous issues were dated 1939, 1948 and 1951 and subsequent copper-nickel issues are dated 1971. The coin is common. The colony, originally a slave trading station, later turned to sugar production and finally cacao. The Portuguese withdrew in 1975.

Recorded mintage: 88,000.

Specification: 4 g, .600 silver, .077 troy oz ASW, 22 mm diameter.

Catalog reference: KM 20, Gomes-20.01.

Source:

• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
• 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.

Link to:

• 1951 5 escudos
• 1951 10 escudos
• Mozambique 1960 5 escudos
• 1962 10 centavos
• 1962 20 centavos
• 1962 50 centavos
• 1962 escudo
• 1962 2½ escudos
• 1985 100 dobras
• Coins and currency dated 1962
• return to coinage of St. Thomas & Prince