Brazil (United States of)

50 centavos 1956, aluminium-bronze, weight - 3 g., size - 17,04 mm, thickness - 1,9 mm, mintage - 32130000 pcs. Single release.

 

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50 centavos 1960, aluminium, weight - 1,83 g., size - 21,07 mm, thickness - 1,97 mm, mintage - 15997000 pcs. Such coins were released at 1957-61.

 

1 cruzeiro 1958, aluminium, weight - 2,38 g., size - 23,23 mm, thicknesss - 2,34 mm, mintage - 15443000 pcs. Such coins were released at 1957-61. Demonetized at February 13 1967.

 

2 cruzeiros 1952, aluminium-bronze, weight - 8,3 g., size - 25 mm, thickness - 2,24 mm, mintage - 1456000 pcs. Such coins were released at 1942-47 and 1949-56. Demonetized at February 13 1967.

 

2 cruzeiros 1961, aluminium, weight - 2,76 g., size - 25,26 mm, thicknesss - 2,16 mm, mintage - 24924000 pcs. Such coins were released at 1957-61. Demonetized at February 13 1967.

 

20 cruzeiros 1965, aluminium, weight - 2,45 g., size - 25 mm, thicknesss - 1,94 mm, mintage - 52026000 pcs. Single release.

 

1 cruzeiro 1946, aluminium-bronze, weight - 6,92 g., size - 24 mm, thickness - 2,35 mm, mintage - 49794000pcs. Such coins were released at 1942-47 and 1949-56.

 

Very nice collection!

I don't have any Brazilian coins in my growing collection. Will definitely have to add a few now.

 

Actually I like the earlier 200 reis nickel series. I think these ran from 1871 to 1900. My son picked up a worn 1871 for around $14 during the Street fair which is held every Saturday in center city Sao Paulo.

Regarding a 1935 500 reis, it catalogs $17 in VF and $50 in unc, so I'd guess you won't see them in major auctions. However if you go to Brazil I'll bet you can find one easily enough in a coin shop. I should point out that I'm a member of the SNB, Sao Paulo chapter, but live in the US.
The 1935 500 reis was minted during an inflationary era, soon the reis would be replaced by the cruzeiro after almost 300 years in circulation.

 

I also like the coins from 1871 to 1900. $14 is a lot for one of those though. You should be able to find a circulated example on eBay for a few dollars. The catalog prices are way too low for the low mintage Brazilian coins. I did finally get the 1935 500 reis. I don't remember what I paid for it, but I've seen them go for $100 or more.

 

Yes I think we could've haggled the woman down to $12 however my son who was 6 years old at the time flashed her his $14 and we lost all negotiating power. The white and black stonework is characteristic of downtown Sao Paulo. Also, try to convince a 6 y/o that he shouldn't buy his coin right there at a street fair but go on-line to EBay. You can get one there for $8 + 4.90 shipping = almost $13.

There are different street fairs in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Some have a lot of counterfeits, other have none that I can identify. At one I recall seeing a huge basket filled with these Nickel 200 reis coins (1871-1900?) but all in horribly worn condition. It reminded me of dealers selling baskets of worn V-nickels for .25 ea when I was a kid.

Brazil coinage is a lot like the US. They first made obviously nickel coins in 1871 (the US in 1865 w/ our nickels in 1866, not counting our experimental cents in 1856-1864). Both our "nickels" and theirs circulated extensively and high grade samples are scarcer.

 

For myself, however I got a Brazilian coin also in Sao Paulo. This is their 2nd year of their gold coinage in 1696, 4000 reis, uncirculated. I think it's like a 3 year subtype. Their 1st year was 1695: exactly 100 years before the US in 1795. I'm looking for the 1695 4,000 reis, which is a 1 year type, but haven't seen one anywhere. NGC lists only 1 1696 which is an EF45 and no 1695's.

 

10 centavos 1946, aluminium-bronze, weight - 2,84 g., size - 17,2 mm, mintage - 35159000 pcs. "Portrait of president Getulio Dornelles Vargas". Such coins were released at 1943-47.

 

10 centavos 1957, aluminium, weight - 1,02 g., size - 17,41 mm, thickness - 1,75 mm, thickness - 25311000 pcs. Such coins were released at 1956-61.

 

20 centavos 1957, aluminium, weight - 1,42 g., size - 19 mm, thickness - 2,04 mm, mintage - 27110000 pcs. Such coins were released at 1956-61.

 

I like this period as it was the beginning of the end of the reis after 350 of circulation. These coins are still good silver but they've dropped from the ~27.5 (?) grams at .917 fine of the previous issue.

Soon these 2000 reis became .500 fine in the 1920's (Sao Paulo street fairs have dealers with bins of these in F - VF grades) to brass, then the reis disappeared altogether. Brazil has gone thru 8 new currencies since then tho the real seems to be stable.

 

Also 2 weeks before this posting I was in Sao Paulo, Brazil and attended the coin show, auction and dinner. I got a 960 reis of the "special series". This was made only in 1816 and was made to celebrate Brazil's being raised to coequal status with Portugal in the Empire. Eventually Brazil would be given it's Independence & then become a Republic: all without any civil war! The legend is different than the regular 1816-R and I believe that far fewer than 0.1% of the 1816-R 960 reis are "special series".

Heritage archives only show 2 of these having sold. Interestingly mine has the same die break as the nicer of theirs. Mine is AU or Unc and I think the nicest listed by Heritage is only an EF or AU. NGC records 2 in 62, 1 in 61, and 3 in 58. I've been looking for a nice one one for the past 4 years. Even so they're not expensive coins. I think the Heritage one sold for around $110.

 

THOSE COINS ARE GREAT ARTWORKS!

 

1 cruzeiro 1972, nickel, weight - 10,08 g., size - 29 mm, thickness - 1,9 mm, mintage - 5600000 pcs. Engraver: Raymond Joly. "150th Anniversary of the Independence of Brazil". Single release.

 

500 reis 1913, silver .900, weight - 5 g., size - 22 mm, mintage - uncknown. Berlin Mint. Single release.