João Prince Regent "São Paulo" 960 Reis 1816-B AU53 ANACS, Bahia mint, cf. KM307.1, cf. LMB-401. "Suposta para São Paulo" issue. Overstruck on a Colonial 8 Reales. A whimsical "parallel" issue, believed to have been made for the São Paulo Province. According to Nogueira da Gama's "Paralelas" do Rio sob D. João P. Regente, the diffuse and heterogenic currency present in early XIX century Brazil led both mint workers and bankers/silversmiths to unofficially overstrike foreign hosts in attempts to contribute to the high demand of coined silver and to evade the Crown's taxes. Da Gama narrates that these "São Paulo" types are amongst the most prominent and recognized form of such contraband. Die engravers' aims to mimic Rio dies' features turned out too crude, so they re-engraved the mintmark R into a B. Showing even highpoint wear from circulation but keeping crisp motifs throughout the argent surfaces.

HID09801242017

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