★ First Gold Coin of the Kingdom of Portugal ★

PORTUGAL, Kingdom. Sancho I o Povoador (the Populator). 1185-1211. AV Morabitino (27.5mm, 3.73 g, 12h). Coimbra mint. + SΛNCIVS EX RVTGΛIS, stylized figure of Sancho, holding sword aloft in right hand, charging right on warhorse / + IH HR PTRIS ·|IILII SPS SCIΛ, cross of pointed shields; 7 pointed stars in angles. Grierson, Coins of Medieval Europe 233 ; Gomes 05.01; Vaz S 1.01; MEC 6, 868 var. (legends); Friedberg 1. Lustrous. EF. Well struck. The first gold coin of the Kingdom of Portugal.

From the Richard A. Jourdan Collection of Medieval European Coins. Ex CNG Inventory 402592 (March 2015).

‘The coinage of Portugal was a natural consequence of political developments in that part of the peninsula. The whole of northern Portugal was reconquered from the Moors in the second half of the eleventh century, and in 1143 its count, Afonso Henriquez, declared his independence of Castile, becoming the first king. Four years later, with the help of English and Flemish crusader on their way to the Holy Land, he captured Lisbon. Both he and successor Sancho I struck dinheiros and mealas (halves) of poor quality bullion, and Sancho gold morabitini as well. Sancho’s coins display what were to become the traditional arms of Portugal, the shields of the five Moorish kings reputed to have lost their lives in Afonso’s great victory at Ourique in 1139.’ Grierson, p.103