Description
Portuguese Empire, Brazil, Joseph I ‘the Reformer’, King of Portugal 1750-1777 AD, Gold Half Johanna of 6400 Réis (14.40g, 32mm), 1772 B, Bahia mint. Obverse: Laureate and draped bust of King José I facing to the right, legend surrounds, “IOSEPHUS· I· D.G· PORT· ET· ALG· REX”. Reverse: Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Portugal. KM-172. An attractive piece, some minor points of weakness on reverse, otherwise problem free. Extremely fine or better.
The Portuguese 6,400 Reis (or Half ‘Johanna’) was one of the denominations chosen during the Australian Proclamation of 1800 by Philip Gidley King, the Governor of New South Wales. It was given a high face value in order to disincentivize the removal of circulating currency from within the Australian colonies, being revalued at Two Pounds. This coin, although a type struck by Portugal and her colonial empire, is still considered a piece of Australia’s early colonial history as a proclamation piece.
The Obverse Latin legend reads “Josephus prīmus, Deī Grātiā, Portucalis et Algarviae rex”, with an English translation of “Joseph the first, by the Grace of God, King of Portugal and Algarve”.