MADEIRA. Marcel Alves D'Araujo. Funchal, Madeira 100 Reis, ca. 19th Century. P-UNL. Uncirculated.

The text of this small leather 100 Reis scrip note is in a handstamp reading: "MANUEL ALVES D'ARAUJO / Rua dos Nettos / FUNCHAL / MADEIRA," with the denomination, 100, handwritten at center. The piece is somewhat irregularly cut, as made. Its dimensions are approximately 36 x 30 mm, with a thickness of about 1.7 mm. Manuel Alves D'Araujo was a 19th Century businessman and merchant in Madeira. We believe, but have not yet confirmed, that his business was located on the Rua dos Nettos, where he issued these chits. There is a street named after him in Valongo, Portugal. A uniface 30 Reis example of this same issue, with identical handstamp and handwritten 30, indicating denomination, is catalogued as Pascoal 256b in " Fichas da Madeira 1793-1920 ", by Carlos Pascoal, 1988. This tiny Portuguese possession, comprised of four islands off the northwest coast of Africa, had fewer than 100,000 inhabitants during the latter half of the 19th Century, when this piece was issued. Seasoned collectors know that all numismatic items from the Madeira Islands are rare to excessively rare, with far fewer examples known than from other difficult countries, for example even Zanzibar. This offering presents the "One-from-every-country" collector with a fleeting opportunity to nail a Madeira piece. (A later Madeira note of 100 Reis, P-12, which is Portugal P-89 with provisional overprint of 1892 for Madeira, was recently auctioned for $8,400.) Provenance: A world-class reference estate collection. Uncirculated.

A world-class reference estate collection.