Brt-447e. Wt = 26.71g. Diam = 42.0-42.5mm. Rupee struck on 8 Reales of Potosi mint

Au (%)

Ag (%)

Cu (%)

Zn (%)

Ni (%)

Sn (%)

Bi (%)

Pb (%)

As (%)

Fe (%)

0.02	97.01	2.7	0	0	0.15	0	0.07	0.04	0
0	97.23	2.29	0	0	0.35	0	0.1	0.03	0

Stevens Collection

Photo from Seth Freman @ Baldwin

Photo from S. Bhandare. Coin in Berlin museum

Photo from S. Bhandare. Coin in Berlin museum

Brazilian 960 reis coin, 1816, Rio de Janeiro mint, struck over a Madras Presidency 2 rupees (Prid. 245). (published on SACG in February 2006 by ‘crusadercoins’, David xxx)

Brazil struck crown sized 960 reis from 1810 to 1827. Virtually 100% of this coinage was struck over spanish american silver 8 reales, mainly from Mexico City, Lima and Potosi, but also Guatemala, Santiago and other smaller American mints such Durango, Cuzco, Guanajuato, etc. Brazilian mints were Rio de Janeiro, Bahia and Minas Gerais (this one being very rare). At that time, an 8 reales coins was worth 800 reis, and the overstriking was an measure to raise (easy...) funds for the recently arrived Portuguese Royal family in Brazil, fleeing from Napoleon's invasion of Portugal. (Thre is a late emission from 1832-34, but these are not overstruck).

Any coin with the same standards of 8 reales was used as host. The preferred hosts were easely available SA coins, but other fitted as well (and are very rare hosts): Bank of England dollar, US dollar, French ecus and 5 francs, Maria Theresia thaler, and a unique piece from Madras, among others. Besides being a unique, very rare overstrike, it seems to be also an error from the mint, as the 960 reis is supposed to weight about 26-27 grams while the Madras 2 rupees weights 24.2 grams

The coin is currently at the Brazil Central Bank vault.