Brazil 1802 20 reis

from the Mountain Groan Collection

This specimen was struck at the Lisbon mint for Brazil in 1802-03. The minting of copper twenty réis began in 1693 and continued sporadically thru the eighteenth century. Issues became larger and more frequent after 1810, when the size was reduced to that of the old ten réis. Large numbers were minted until 1832, well after independence. Counterfeits are numerous, particularly of the Bahia issues, which were cruder than Rio issues. Another twenty réis (KM 431.1) exists which was countermarked in 1835 from a colonial forty réis (KM 234.1)

By the 1830's, so many had been issued that the public began to refuse them. In 1835, the government called them in and countermarked them to half their former value to increase their acceptance. Private and counterfeit countermarks also exist, making this series confusing but fascinating to collect.

Recorded mintage: 788,000.

Specification: copper, 14.7 g.

Catalog reference: KM 233.1.

Source:

• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
• Pimentel, Alvaro Mendes, Catálogo de Moedas Brasileiras de 1643 a 1962, 9a Ed., Rio de Janeiro, 1962.
• Amato, Claudio, and Irlei S. Neves, Livro das Moedas do Brasil, 14a ed. Sao Paulo, 2015.
• 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:

• 1774 20 réis
• 1802-R 320 réis
• 1802-R 640 réis
• 1802 4000 réis
• 1802-R 6,400 réis
• 1813-R 20 réis
• Coins and currency dated 1802