St. Thomas and Prince 1971 2-1/2 escudos

from the Mountain Groan Collection

This two-and-a-half escudos minted in Lisbon for the Portuguese colony of Sao Tomé e Principe, is from a two year type. The other date is 1962. This issue is accompanied by bronze fifty centavos and one escudo and copper-nickel five, ten and twenty escudos. The coin is fairly common. The colony, originally a slave trading station, later turned to sugar production and finally cacao. The Portuguese withdrew in 1975.

Recorded mintage: 250,000.

Specification: 3.5 g, copper-nickel, 20 mm diameter.

Catalog reference: KM 19, Gomes-17.02.

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:

• 1962 2½ escudos
• 1970 50 escudos
• 1971 20 escudos
• Coins and currency dated 1971
• return to coinage of St. Thomas & Prince