Malta currency Lm 20 Maltese Lira banknote 1986 Agatha Barbara

Malta currency 20 Maltese lira banknote Maltese sailing ship
20 Maltese lira
Malta currency 20 Maltese lira banknote Grandmaster's Palace
Currency of Malta  20 Maltese lira
Malta currency Lm 20 Maltese lira banknote 1986 Central Bank of Malta 
Maltese banknotes, Maltese paper money, Maltese bank notes, Malta banknotes, Malta paper money, Malta bank notes.

Obverse: Portrait of Miss Agatha Barbara - 3rd President of the Republic of Malta, the old traditional Maltese sailing ship "Xambekk" (1743) at center.
Reverse: Auberge de Castille, the monument dedicated to the Maltese worker in Msida and Grandmaster's Palace (Valletta, Malta) - seat of Parliament and President of Malta.
Watermark: Allegorical Head of Malta - Melita.
Printer: Thomas De La Rue & Company Limited, London England.

Malta banknotes - Malta paper money
   In 1986, the Central Bank of Malta issued the fourth series of currency notes, which included denominations of Lm2, Lm5, Lm10 and Lm20, of which the Lm2 and Lm20 note were new denominations. The Lm1 note was not re-issued at this time as it was set to be replaced by the Lm1 coin.
   The notes, printed by Thomas De La Rue & Co. Ltd, portrayed the President of the Republic at the time, and for the first time, featured the word ‘Lira’ on its own without its accompanying English version, the Pound. In fact, the £ was no longer used and the capital letter ‘L’ was introduced instead. Following an amendment by Act XIII of 1983, the unit of currency in Malta became legally known as the Lira Maltija, with its corresponding symbol, Lm.
   In March 1988, an amendment to the Central Bank of Malta Act was passed through which the designs on currency notes issued by the Bank could not portray any person who was still alive at the time.

2 Maltese Lira     5 Maltese Lira     10 Maltese Lira     20 Maltese Lira




Maltese lira
The pound or lira (Maltese: lira Maltija, plural: liri, ISO 4217 code : MTL) was the currency of Malta until 31 December 2007. The lira was abbreviated as Lm, although the traditional ₤ sign was often used locally. In English, the Maltese currency was referred to as the pound originally and for many locals this usage continued.
On entry into the European Union, Malta agreed to adopt the euro. The lira was replaced by the euro on 1 January 2008, as part of the Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union.
The Maltese lira was replaced by the euro as the official currency of Malta at the irrevocable fixed exchange rate of 0.429300 MTL per 1 EUR. However, Maltese lira banknotes and coins continued to have legal tender status and were accepted for cash payments until 31 January 2008. Maltese liri were convertible free of charge at all Maltese credit institutions until 30 March 2008. Maltese coins were convertible at the Central Bank of Malta until 1 February 2010, and banknotes until 31 January 2018.

Norway banknotes 500 Norwegian Krone bank note of 1966 Niels Henrik Abel

Norway currency 500 Kroner banknote
500 Norwegian krone
Norway money 500 Kroner banknote
Currency of Norway 500 kroner
Norway money banknotes - 500 Kroner, 4th issue (1948 - 1976).
Obverse: Portrait of mathematician Niels Henrik Abel, whose theories are still used and studied and is fundamental to much of modern mathematics, a drawing by Johan Gørbitz. Coat of arms of Norway at center.
Reverse: Industrial scene after a painting by Reidar Aulie.

Banknotes of the Norwegian krone
1948-1976 Issue

The 4th issue of Norwegian kroner notes was the first post-war issue that was designed as a long-term issue, the 3rd issue having been prepared during the war for use in a monetary reform situation and was introduced when the 2nd issue was suspended in the autumn of 1945.
The 4th issue consisted of 6 notes, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 kr.
The 4th issue obviously is an attempt to "build the country" after the war. Each note has its own portrait, with famous Norwegians. The reverse is used to visualize one of the important sectors of the Norwegian economy and society.
The 5-kroner is the fisheries note, the 10-kroner is shipping and commerce, 50-kroner farming, 100-kroner forestry, 500-kroner industry and 1000-kroner the arts.




Japanese Gold Coins One Yen Gold Coin of 1871 Meiji Period

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Japanese Gold Coins one Yen Gold Coin, Meiji Period, Minted in 1871 (Year 4 of Meiji)

Obverse: Value (1 YEN) above dot. Legend around.
Reverse: Sunburst crest superimposed on sacred mirror, flanked by Military banners.
Comment: Chrisantemum (arms of Japan) above, paulownia crest below.

Reference: KM-9 (high dot), Friedberg 49, JNDA-01-5. R!
Diameter: 14 mm
Weight: 1.66 gram of Gold (.900) - 0.0483 oz. AGW

Russian Gold Coins 5 Rouble Gold Coin of 1898, Czar Nicholas II, the last Emperor of Russia.

RUSSIA 5 ROUBLES GOLD COIN
RUSSIAN 5 RUBLES GOLD COIN
Russian Gold Coins 5 Rouble Gold Coin of 1898, Czar Nicholas II, the last Emperor of Russia.


St. Petersburg mint
Metal : GOLD 0.900
Gross weight: 4,3 g
Diameter: 18,4 mm

Brazil Gold Coins 6400 Reis Gold Coin of 1793 Queen Maria I

Brazil 6400 Reis Gold Coin Queen Maria I
 Brazil 6400 Reis Gold Coin, Queen Maria of Portuguese Gold Half Johanna
Brazil gold coins 6400 Reis Gold Coin
Brazilian coins
Brazil Gold Coins 6400 Reis Gold Coin 1793-R Rio Mint, 
Maria I Queen of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil, and the Algarves "Maria the Mad"

Obverse: Draped bust of Maria I "the Mad" right, wearing widows veil. Date (1793.) and mint initial (R) below.
Legend: MARIA . I . D . G . PORT - ET . ALG . REGINA .

Reverse: Crowned coat-of-arms of the Portugueze Empire within foliage.

Mintage: 237,000 pcs.
Reference: Friedberg 87, Gomez 25.05, KM-226.1. R!
Weight: 14.34 gram of Gold (.917) - 0.4229 oz. AGW
Diameter: 32 mm

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Maria I of Portugal
Maria I (English: Mary I) (17 December 1734 – 20 March 1816) was Queen of Portugal, Brazil, and the Algarves. Known as Maria the Pious (in Portugal), or Maria the Mad (in Brazil), she was the first undisputed Queen regnant of Portugal. Her reign would be a noteworthy one. With Napoleon's European conquests, her court, then under the direction of Prince Dom João, the Prince Regent, moved to the then Portuguese colony of Brazil. Later on, Brazil would be elevated from the rank of a colony to that of a Kingdom, the Kingdom of Brazil, with the consequential formation of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves.

Brazilian Gold Coins Peca or 6400 Reis Gold Coin of 1765 King Joseph I

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Brazilian Gold Coins Peca or 6400 Reis Gold Coin of 1765 King Joseph I, minted 1765-R (Rio Mint).

Obverse: Wreathed and draped bust of Joseph I right. Date (1765.) and mint initial (R) below.
Legend: JOSEPHUS . I . D . G . PORT . ET . ALG . REX .
Reverse: Crowned coat-of-arms of the Portugueze Empire within foliage.

Reference: Friedberg 65, Gomes-55.01, KM-172.1. R!
Weight: 14.21 gram of Gold (.917) - 0.4229 oz. AGW
Diameter: 31 mm

Peca. A Portuguese gold coin of six thousand and four hundred Reis, or four Escudos, introduced in 1750, and representing a reduced form of the Dobra. It circulated extensively in Brazil and was struck at Rio and Bahia.

Joseph I of Portugal (Portuguese: José I, 6 June 1714 – 24 February 1777), "the Reformer" (Portuguese: "o Reformador"), was the King of Portugal and the Algarves from 31 July 1750 until his death.
 He succeeded to the Portuguese throne in 1750, when he was 36 years old, and almost immediately placed effective power in the hands of Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, better known today as the Marquis of Pombal. Indeed the history of Joseph's reign is really that of Pombal himself. King Joseph also declared his eldest daughter Maria Francisca as the official heiress of the throne, and proclaimed her Princess of Brazil. By this time, the king did not believe he would have a son.
The powerful Marquis sought to overhaul all aspects of economic, social and colonial policy to make Portugal a more efficient contender with the other great powers of Europe, and thus secure his own power status as a result. A conspiracy of nobles aimed at murdering King Joseph and the Marquis gave Pombal the opportunity (some say, the pretext) to get rid of the Távora family, and to expel the Jesuits in September 1759, thus gaining control of public education and a wealth of church lands and ushering Portugal, which had been a backwater dominated by the High Aristocracy and a very conservative brand of Catholicism, into the Enlightenment age.
The reign of Joseph was also famous for the great Lisbon earthquake of November 1, 1755, in which around 100,000 people died.
The earthquake caused Joseph to develop a severe case of claustrophobia and he was never again comfortable living within a walled building. Consequently, he moved the royal court to an extensive complex of tents in the hills of Ajuda.
The capital was eventually rebuilt at great cost, and an equestrian statue of King Joseph still dominates Lisbon's main plaza.

Brazilian Colonial Gold coin Dobra or 12800 Reis of Joao V King of Portugal 1727 Minas mint

Brazil gold coins 12800 Reis DOBRA
Colonial Coins of Brazil
Brazilian gold coins 12800 Reis Dobra coin
Colonial coinage of Brazil one Dobra or 12800 Reis
Brazilian Colonial Gold coin Dobra or 12800 Reis of Joao V, King of Portugal that was struck at the mint in Minas , 1727.

Material: 0.9170 Gold 0.8455 oz
Weight: 28.6800 g
Diameter: 38 mm

Dobra. A gold coin of Portugal which was first issued in the reign of Pedro I (1357-1367) and equal to 82 Soldi.
   At the beginning of the reign of John V (1706-1750) appeared the Dobra de oito Escudos, and the Dobra de quatro Escudos, valued respectively at eight and four Escudos, or 12,800 and 6400 Reis. The former coin was commonly known as the Joannes, and in the British West Indies, where they circulated extensively, this was abbreviated into Joe, the latter coin being called the half Joe. The striking of these coins ceased by virtue of a Portuguese proclamation of November 29, 1732. They gradually disappeared from circulation, and in time the half Dobras were improperly alluded to in some places as Joes instead of half Joes.
   It should be added that in 1731 a Dobra of twenty-four and another of sixteen Escudos were struck. These large gold coins are illustrated by Aragao (pi. xli. 23, 24) and described by Meili.
   In 1750, the Dobra, now rcduced to four Escudos, or 6400 Rois. received the name of Peca, and this designation continued until its abolition early in the nineteenth century.

John V of Portugal
John V (João V, 22 October 1689 – 31 July 1750), nicknamed "the Magnanimous", was King of Portugal and the Algarves. He was born in Lisbon and succeeded his father Peter II in December 1706, and was proclaimed on 1 January 1707.
His father had long suffered from lack of heirs, and the relatively new royal house of Braganza was indeed on the verge of going extinct—the king had only one surviving (though sickly) daughter from his first marriage, John's half-sister Isabel Luisa, Princess of Beira. However, after the death of his first wife, the old king remarried, and John's mother was able to produce eight more children, including John himself. When John was born, he became Prince of Brazil as the king's heir apparent, as well as the 11th Duke of Braganza.

Mexican 50 Pesos Gold Coin of 1922 Centenario

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Mexican 50 Pesos Gold Coin of 1922 Centenario

Centenario
 The Centenario is a Mexican gold bullion coin first minted in 1921 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Mexico's independence from Spain. The coin is not intended to be used as currency; the face value of 50 pesos is for legal purposes only, and does not reflect the actual value of the gold content.
The obverse of the Centenario contains the image of Winged Victory (El Ángel, El Ángel de la Independencia: "The Angel of Independence"), with a laurel wreath in her right hand and broken chains in her left. Two famous Mexican volcanoes, Popocatepetl and Iztaccíhuatl, rise in the background. The 1821 on the lower left commemorates the year of Mexico's independence. The date on the right indicates year of mintage, with the 1921 and 1931 (the last year of the original series) mintages being particularly valuable. Production restarted in 1943 due to the demand for gold coins, and coins minted between 1949 and 1972 are usually marked "1947".
The reverse depicts the coat of arms of Mexico, which is a golden eagle perched on a cactus with a serpent in its beak.
The Centenario contains 37.59 grams (1.20565 troy ounces) of gold in an alloy of 90% gold and 10% copper, and is 37 mm in diameter. The 1943 mintage is somewhat special because of the double "37.5 Gr Oro Puro" markings, leaving out the "50 pesos" legend, and a somewhat larger diameter: 39mm vs 37mm for the other years in the 50 Peso series
The original Centenario design was used in the later Libertad Series of gold and silver bullion coins.

Mexican 50 Pesos Description
The Mexican 50 Pesos gold coin is 20% larger than the 1-oz American Gold Eagle coin.  The obverse bears an image of Winged Victory, with a laurel wreath in her right hand and broken chains in her left. Two famous Mexican volcanoes, Popocatepetl and Iztaccihautl, rise in the background. The 1821 on the lower left commemorates the year of Mexico’s independence. The date on the right indicates year of mintage.
  However, between 1949 and 1972, nearly four million pieces were struck, most likely dated 1947. These are referred to as restrikes; the earlier 50 Pesos carry small premiums over the restrikes  The 1921 and the 1931 coins, on the other hand, can carry large premiums. The reverse depicts the Mexican Coat of Arms, which is an eagle perched on a cactus with a serpent in its beak.
  When Americans regained the right to own gold bullion on December 31, 1974, Mexican 50 Peso gold coins quickly became one of the gold bullion industry’s standard bearers, along with the Austrian 100 Corona. Because CMIGS is located in Phoenix, Arizona, we saw a lot of trading in 50 Pesos. Despite being headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, and being close to the Mexican border, nowadays we do not see much trading in 50 Pesos.
  The tremendous success of Krugerrands in the early 1970s drove the 50 Pesos and the Austrian 100 Coronas into obscurity, where they have remained. Because they are not well known coins, Mexican 50 Pesos and the Austrian 100 Coronas sell at low premiums compared with Gold Eagles and Krugerrands.  During the 2008-2009 World Financial Crisis, new Mexican 50 Peso gold coins were minted and shipped to the United States to help meet the tremendous demand for gold because of the Crisis.

Mexican 5 Pesos Gold bullion coin of 1906

5 Pesos Mexican Gold Coins
Mexican gold five pesos
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Mexican 5 Pesos Gold bullion coin of 1906

The 5 Pesos coins feature Miguel Hidalgo on the reverse, considered to be the chief instigator of the Mexican revolution and the "Father of the Nation". In open defiance of Spanish rule, he united the downtrodden and indigenous peasants in a revolt in 1910, thus beginning the War of Independence. Hidalgo was captured shortly after the uprising began and was publicly executed. His remains are now interred in a mausoleum at the base of the column mentioned above.

Design

The obverse design features the Mexican coat of arms, an eagle clutching a snake while it perches on a prickly pear cactus. On the outer periphery is the phrase “ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS” or as translated to english “United Mexican States”.

The reverse design features a bust image of Hidalgo facing left. On the outer periphery is the denomination "CINCO PESOS” and year of issue. Just below the bust design is the mint mark “M” for the Mexico City Mint.

Years Minted: 1905-20, 1955
Composition: 90% Gold, 10% Copper
Diameter: 19 mm
Weight: 4.1666 grams (.1206 ounces of gold)
Total Series Mintage: 9,392,000 (approximate)

The 5 pesos gold coin was sporadically issued from 1905 to 1920 and reissued in 1955.
The key to the series is the 1905 issue and the semi-key is the 1918/17 over-date. Additionally, according to Krause Publications, from 1951 to 1972 a total of 1,767,645 pieces were restruck with the date 1955.

Brazilian banknotes 500 Cruzeiros Brazilian Commemorative banknote - 150th Anniversary of Brazil's Independence 1822-1972

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World Currency - Brazilian banknotes - 500 Brazilian Cruzeiros banknote of 1972 - "150 Years Brazilian Independence" Commemorative Issue.
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Obverse: "representative figures of Brazilian ethnic evolution, a sequence of different breeds in order of historical precedence,".
Reverse: Presents a sequence of letters History - Geographic ("representing the evolution of the Brazilian territorial space ") - Discovery Commerce, Colonization, Independence and Integration.

As part of the sesquicentennial celebrations of the Independence of Brazil (1822-1972), the Central Bank of Brazil issued 500 Cruzeiros Commemorative banknote (five hundred Cruzeiros).
Its basic dimensions are 172 mm x 78 mm , Already larger banknote printed after changing the default milreis for the new standard in 1942 and the first commemorative banknote. Features micro - seals horizontally, the President of the Monetary Council and the Central Bank's President, also has security features - watermark or watermark (Symbol Independence Sesquicentennial 1822-1972), security background with moiré and printing luminescent. Were printed by the House that Brazil's currency used the following colors and printing methods: on the obverse - Green on polychrome in chalcography and offset, in reverse - white and polychrome in chalcography and offset. By Communiqué Mecir # 15 of 31 July 1979, the Central Bank informed the audience that had launched the movement in print "B" 500 Cruzeiros banknote, who had the same characteristics of the print 'A' with some changes., see: "I - inclusion on the obverse of parallel lines, printed in offset, green, white vertical strip located on the far left where the banknote is cast or the filigree watermark. These vertical lines define, under the action of light emerging, a perfect record (overlay) with vertical lines also printed on the reverse, brown in color, II - inclusion on the obverse, the reason specially designed for characters join to form geometric shapes flat , printed in offset, predominantly green color on the white strip located on the far left (lower internal angle) of the banknote. This motif set under the action of light emerging, a perfect record (overlapping) with motive of identical shapes also printed on the reverse, orange brown in color. Banco Central that same statement said the banknotes of the print "A" continue to circulate concurrently with the print "B". These bills circulated in the period 1972 to 1987, when they were demonetized. The graphic design was done by Waldomiro Puntar manuals and prints by José Maria das Neves. F. Saints Trigueiros informs us that "Aloisio Magellan designed the values in inverted positions, first step that could defend the idea of drawing types reversed, employees in the notes put into circulation after this sort."

In the sequence of letters Historical-Geographical have the following stylizations from right to left:

- Discovery

      The Cantino planisphere (or Cantino World Map) is the earliest surviving map showing Portuguese Discoveries in the east and west. It is named after Alberto Cantino, an agent for the Duke of Ferrara, who successfully smuggled it from Portugal to Italy in 1502. The map is particularly notable for portraying a fragmentary record of the Brazilian coast, discovered in 1500 by the Portuguese explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral, and for depicting the African coast of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans with a remarkable accuracy and detail. This old map, made-up by 6 glued parchment sheets, was kept in the Ducal Library, Ferrara, for about 90 years, until Pope Clement VIII transferred it to another palace in Modena, Italy. More than two centuries later, in 1859, the palace was ransacked and the Cantino Map lost. It was found by Giuseppe Boni, Director of the Biblioteca Estense, in that same year, in a butcher’s store in Modena. The Cantino world map can currently be found in Modena, Italy, at the Biblioteca Estense. There is a facsimile of the Map Collection at the Foreign Ministry in Rio de Janeiro.
To get a complete map, Alberto Cantino was able to bribe a certain Portuguese government mapmaker with 12 golden ducats to copy this map for him, between December 1501 and October 1502., but got a good job. The anonymous artist who almost certainly belong to the actual workshops, reproduced all known lands by Portugal, reaching the mark of refinement Ascension Island, a location so recent that its discoverers had not yet returned. The "Cantino map" (as it became known) dates from 1502 and measures 105 cm x 220 cm . It also shows the east coast of North America, which would only officially discovered ten years later. " The banknote appears only the portion of the letter that is the representation of the Brazilian coast, with trees and birds and bottom of the Latin inscription "Pollus Antartiais." In the fifteenth century, according to etymology, the word Antarctic meant "opposite the Arctic pole," ie, designated the area opposite to the North Pole and not necessarily the Antarctic region. Note that the trees depicted on the map are more like pine boreal regions than tropical trees themselves, but nevertheless, it is extremely interesting historical map for Brazil.

- Trade

Map "Terra Brasilis" - 1519: The map is part of a collection entitled "Atlasde Miller" and can be found in the National Library in Paris. existed a facsimile Map Collection at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Rio de Janeiro - ".. . the maps are of Portuguese origin, which can be attributed to Lopo Homem, official cartographer of the Kingdom in the early decades of the sixteenth century. "Terra Brasilis", a map made by hand on parchment, is part of this atlas and must have been designed around 1519, still under the reign of Dom Manuel. Detailed nomenclature (146 names) indicates points of the Brazilian coast, Maranhão the mouth of the River Plate. For the interior, the map shows realistic illustrations of the indigenous inhabitants, some of them taking care of the extraction of Brazil wood. The inscriptions, as was customary at the time, are made in Latin. E flags, one to the north (now Guyana) and the other to the south (now Argentina), mark the extreme points of the Portuguese forward. Before 1520, the Treaty of Tordesillas, which limited the lands of Santa Cruz with the Spanish possessions, was not fulfilled. " The banknote appears the main part of the letter, with the 146 names do not appear due to their small proportions being represented by dotted lines. Curious to note the Latin inscription on the top left of the chart, although reduced, can be viewed through a magnifying glass or good magnification, and says the following:

“Tabula hec regionis magni brasilis est, et ad partem occidentalem Antilias castelle regis obtinet. Gens vero eius negrescentis coloris fera et immanissima carnibus humanis vescitur. Hec eaden gens arcu et sagittis egregie utitur. Hic psytaci versicolores alie que innumere aves fereque monstruose et scymiarum plura genera reperintur pluriamaque arbor nascitur que brasil nuncupata vestibus purpereo colore tingedis opportuna censetur”.

In English we have: "This is the letter of the Greater Brazil, which plays for the western part, the Antilles with the King of Castile. But we this is brown, brave and very barbaric, and feeds on human flesh. This same people serve with utmost skill of bow and arrows. Here are multi-colored parrots, numerous other birds, beasts, monstrous, and many species of monkeys born to Brazil tree, considered good to dye the robes of red".

Colonization

Map of "Capitanias Hereditárias" - 1574: "In 1532, Dom João III divided Brazil into 12 captaincies in 15 lots (some captaincies had more than one lot) that were given to donatary captains with obligations to defend them, populate them, and to develop their resources.
From the coast, the land was divided into parallel strips and irregular, donated the most illustrious nobles of the Portuguese court. The first Governor-General appointed by John III was Tomé de Sousa, who in 1549 founded the city of Bahia (known at the time as São Salvador da Bahia de Todos os Santos, Holy Saviour of the Bay of All Saints). Much later, in 1574, Luis Teixeira drew this map (now in the Library Help, Portugal), appearing in the captaincies with their grantees (north to south): Rio Grande, Itamaracá, Pernambuco, Bahia, Ilhéus, Porto Seguro, Espírito Santo, Paraíba do Sul and São Vicente. Bahia, considered captaincy of His Majesty, was the seat of the government-general of Brazil. On the map, the line of Tordesillas appears shifted ten degrees west, but it is likely that the error is deliberate, for favoring the Portuguese, extending further west to the borders of the Brazilian colony. " There is a photostat copy of that map in Map Collection of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The banknote omits the name of the Captaincy of Lopo de Souza (Sao Vicente) that stretched to the River Plate estuary. Another indication omitted on the banknote (although some contain letters) is the name "Southern Ocean" on the right side of the letter. Note the exaggeration made in relation to the dimensions of the rivers of the Parana River Basin.

- Independence

Map of the time of the Independence of Brazil - 1822, we did not find any special name for the same. The Brazilian borders even before independence were not yet well defined, and the maps of the period still had some inaccuracies. The map, like the previous ones, is not shown in its entirety, so a stylized, so this is actually already in the eighteenth century maps appear captaincies in the Northern Region, as the Captaincy of Rio Negro and the Captaincy of Grand Para So Brazilian territory, at that time, already stretched to the border with Peru (Rio Javari). It may be noted, on the banknote at the top of the map, the Guianas (Guyana and Suriname) allegedly were part of the territory of the newly created Empire. Not true. The Portuguese Court moved to Brazil in 1808 because of the French occupation and D. John VI declared war on Napoleon and all treaties made between the two countries. With the goal of retribution and restoration of limits with French Guiana, established by the Treaty of Utrecht of 1713, D. John VI ordered the conquest of Cayenne by an expedition which left Pará north. With the help of England (English frigate - Confiance), the Luso-Brazilians occupied French Guiana without major losses. The Guyana remained under Portuguese rule until 1817, when it was restored to the French through an agreement established between France and the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and Algarves. It was a temporary occupation, and French Guiana (today overseas territory of France) was never part of what would become the Empire of Brazil. As for Suriname (then Dutch colony) was never part of the Brazilian territory. Brazilian states, provinces at the time of the Empire has also began to set, highlighting the fact that the State of São Paulo still congregate on its borders which would become the State of Paraná in 1853. Another curiosity are the contours of the then Province of Santa Catarina, this division has existed for almost a century (1738), in that year of 1822, following the route of the Serra do Mar, where he was confined. The territory where stood the old Colonia del Sacramento was built in 1821 to the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and Algarves and becoming Province of the Brazilian Empire in 1824, under the name Cisplatina. In 1825 began the fight separatist, and in 1828 to Cisplatina achieved independence with the creation of the Republic of Uruguay. The contour line of the then province of São Pedro do Rio Grande do Sul, the current state of Rio Grande do Sul, which appears on the map reproduced on the banknote, by all indications is for the Treaty of San Ildefonso of 1777. Perhaps with the location of the origin of this map could more accurately analyze the data herein.

- Integration

Map representing the current boundaries of the national territory and symbolized at the time of the making of the print (1972) a supposed north-south integration, which would be accomplished through the highways were being built, such as the Trans, the Northern Perimeter, the Cuiabá - Porto Velho - Manaus.

Russian Gold Coins 7 and 1/2 Roubles Gold Coin 1897, Czar Nicholas II.

7 AND 1/2 RUBLES Half Imperial gold coin
7 AND 1/2 ROUBLES Half Imperial gold coin
RUSSIA - 7 AND 1/2 ROUBLES GOLD COIN of 1897 - NICHOLAS II


Metal : GOLD 0.900
Gross weight: 6,452 g
Diameter: 21 mm

Mexico Caballito One Peso Silver Coin of 1911

MEXICO Caballito Peso Silver Crown coin
MEXICO Caballito Peso Silver Crown
Mexico Caballito One Peso Silver Coin of 1911

Obverse: Mexican coat of arms, an eagle clutching a snake while it perches on a prickly pear cactus and the denomination "UN PESO". On the outer periphery is the phrase "ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS" or as translated to English "United States of Mexico".

Reverse: Allegorical woman - Liberty riding a horse holding a torch high above her head and in her other hand holding a laurel branch. In the background is a rising (or setting) sun with rays.

The coin edge is lettered with the phrase "INDEPENDENCIA Y LIBERTAD" (Independence and Liberty).

Years Minted: 1910-1914
Composition: 90.3% Silver
Diameter: 39 mm
Weight: 27.07 grams (.7859 oz of silver)
Total Series Mintage: 8,365,000

Shortly after the Mexican Revolution, the newly formed Mexican Government issued their first Peso coin referred to as the “Caballito Peso” meaning Small Horse Peso.

The Cabillito Peso was a crown size coin struck in 90.3% silver to celebrate the War of Independence and was issued from 1910 to 1914. Today, it is a highly collected coin for both Mexican coin collectors as well as Silver World Crown collectors and is regarded as one of the most beautiful crown sized designs in not just Mexico but throughout North America.
Design


Major Varieties

There are two significant die varieties sought by collectors of the series. The first is on the 1911 Peso where reverse designs were minted with a “Short Ray” or a “Long Ray”. This referred to the length of the sun's ray on the lower left side and the "Short Ray" was a carry-over from the 1910 design.

The second variation is an over-date referred to as the 1913/2 where 1912 issues where struck over to make 1913 issues.
General Market Notes
The key to the series is the 1914 issue with its small mintage of only 120,000. The semi-keys to the series are the 1912 issue and 1911 “Short Ray” issue.

Coins of Mexico One Peso Silver coin 1866 Emperor Maximilian I

Mexican Empire Silver Peso coin
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Mexican Empire Maximilian Silver Peso coin
Maximilian Peso
Coins of Mexico One Peso Silver coin of 1866 Emperor Maximilian I
Silver Peso coin of the Second Mexican Empire (Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico 1864-1867)

Obverse: Bare head of bearded Maximilian I of Mexico, right Small banner below.
Legend: MAXIMILIANO EMPERADOR

Reverse:Crowned oval shield displaying Mexican eagle supported on either side by griffin, sword and scepter en saltire.
Legend: IMPERIO MEXICANO 1 PESO 1866 Mo (Mexico City Mint)
A very nice and popular coin, of the short lived Mexican Empire of Maximilian I (brother of Emperor Franz Joseph I. of Austria).
Denomination: Peso
Reference: KM-388.1.
Mint Place: Mexico City
State: Mexico (Empire of Maximilian)
Diameter: 37 mm
Weight: 27 gram of Silver

Maximilian I of Mexico
Maximilian I (Spanish: Maximiliano I; Born Ferdinand Maximilian Joseph; 6 July 1832 – 19 June 1867) was the only monarch of the Second Mexican Empire. He was a younger brother of the Austrian emperor Franz Joseph I. After a distinguished career in the Austrian Navy, he entered into a scheme with Napoleon III of France to rule Mexico. France had invaded Mexico in 1861, with the implicit support and approval of other European powers, as part of the War of the French Intervention. Seeking to legitimize French rule, Napoleon III invited Maximilian to establish a new Mexican monarchy. With the support of the French army and a group of conservative Mexican monarchists, Maximilian traveled to Mexico where he declared himself Emperor of Mexico on 10 April 1864.
Many foreign governments, including that of the United States, refused to recognize his administration. Maximilian's Second Mexican Empire was widely considered a puppet of France. Additionally, the Mexican Republic was never entirely defeated; Liberal forces led by President Benito Juárez continued to be active throughout Maximilian's rule. With the end of the American Civil War in 1865, the United States began to be able to more explicitly aid the democratic forces of Juárez; things became even worse for Maximilian's Empire after the French withdrew their armies in 1866. The Mexican Empire collapsed, and Maximilian was captured and executed in 1867. His wife Charlotte (Carlota) had left for Europe earlier to try to build support for her husband's regime; she suffered an emotional collapse after his death and was declared insane.

Mexico coins Spanish Colonial 8 Reales silver coin of 1810 Ferdinand VII

Mexico Spanish Colonial 8 Reales coin
Mexico Spanish Colonial 8 Reales silver coin
Mexico coins Spanish Colonial 8 Reales silver coin of 1810 Ferdinand VII

Obverse: Laureate, armoured and togate profile bust of Ferdinand VII right.
Latin Legend: FERDIN . VII . DEI . GRATIA . 1810
Translation: "Ferdinand VII by the Grace of God, 1810"

Reverse: Crowned Spanish* arms between the Pillars of Hercules adorned with PLVS VLTRA motto.
Legend: .HISPAN[IARUM].ET IND[IARUM].REX.Mo[Mexico in Monogram].8R [EALES] H.J.[assayer]
Translation: "King of the Spains and the Indies, Mexico[Mint], 8 reales"

Scarce military bust type only issued for Mexico only!
Reference: 1821-MoHJ. KM-110.
Assayers: Henrique Buenaventura Azorin / Joaquin Davila Madrid
Mint Mark: Mo (Mexico Mint)
Weight: 26.87 gram of silver
Diameter: 40 mm

The Spanish dollar (also known as the piece of eight, the real de a ocho, or the eight real coin) is a silver coin, worth eight reales, that was minted in the Spanish Empire after a Spanish currency reform of 1497. It was legal tender in the United States until an Act of the United States Congress discontinued the practice in 1857. Through widespread use in Europe, the Americas and the Far East, it became the first world currency by the late 18th century. Many existing currencies, such as the Canadian dollar, United States dollar and the Chinese yuan, as well as currencies in Latin America and the Philippines peso were initially based on the Spanish dollar and other 8 reales coins.

Ferdinand VII of Spain
Ferdinand VII (14 October 1784 – 29 September 1833) was twice King of Spain: in 1808 and from 1813 to 1833 – the latter period in dispute with Joseph Bonaparte. He was known as el Deseado "Ferdinand the Desired" or el Rey Felón the "Felon King".

Vatican 20 Lire Gold Coin of 1869, Pope Pius IX.

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Gold Coins of Papal States 20 Lire
Papal States Vatican 20 Lire Gold Coin, Pope Pius IX, minted in 1869 (Year XXIV).

Reverse: Bust of Pope Pius IX left, wearing zucchetto, mozetta, and stole.
Legend: PIVS . IX . PON - M . A . XXIV § * §

Obverse: Denomination (20 LIRE) and date (1869) within wreath. Mint inital (R) of Rome below.

Mint Place: Rome (R)
Mintage: 76,000 pcs
Diameter: 21 mm
Weight: 6.42 gram of Gold (.900)

Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX (Latin: Pius IX; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878), born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was Pope from 16 June 1846 to his death in 1878. He was the longest-reigning elected pope in the history of the Catholic Church — totalling nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council (1869-1870), which decreed papal infallibility, but the council was cut short.
Pius IX defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, meaning that Mary was conceived without original sin. Pius IX also granted the Marian title of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, a famous Byzantine icon from Crete entrusted to the Redemptorist priests.
In addition to this, Pius IX was also the last pope to rule as the Sovereign of the Papal States, which fell completely to Italian nationalist armies in 1870 and were incorporated into the Kingdom of Italy. After this, he was referred to as the "Prisoner of the Vatican".
After his death in 1878, his canonization process (which opened on 11 February 1907) drew considerable controversy and was closed on at least one occasion, before Pope John Paul II proclaimed him Venerable on 6 July 1985. He was beatified on 3 September 2000 alongside Pope John XXIII, and was assigned the liturgical feast day of February 7, the date of his death.

Vatican 100 Lire Gold coin of 1950.

investing in gold coins buy sell Vatican Gold coin 100 Lire
buy sell Vatican Gold coins 100 Lire
Vatican Gold 100 Lire coin of 1950.

Tips to shine in investing in gold coins

When world economies shiver and shake, gold prospers.

Gold bullion coins, which sell in the millions weekly, easily tap into gold's rise. American Eagle and Canadian Maple Leaf gold coins have high gold purity and are easily bought and sold through precious metals dealers.

In recent years, some investors had turned to gold exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, to cash in on gold's rise. But lately, people have been moving away from them. Why? Some ETFs don't own the physical gold, instead trading in a gold index. For example, the CBOE Gold Index tracks the price of gold-mining companies. Gold ETFs may even trade in gold futures contracts, making them risky investments (Precious Metals Investing For Dummies).

That's why prefers gold bullion coins. For example, the Maple Leaf is 24-karat gold, mimicking gold's spot price and joining in its rise. Given that UBS and Goldman Sachs have said gold will be a top-performing asset in 2013, gold coins may rise in lock step.
The downside of gold coins

Before plunking down hard cash, know that investing in gold coins can have its downside. Prices fluctuate wildly. Gold coins aren't meant for trading - Hold them a minimum of three years.
In addition, dealers typically don't take credit cards for gold purchases. They may not accept orders unless they have the cash in hand first. "So, you must use a bank wire or cashier's check to pay for the coins,".

Selling coins also means laboriously shipping them back to dealers by packing them in coin protectors wrapped in bubble wrap. To track the package, send it via registered mail or Express Mail, or use a service such as FedEx or UPS. The coins should also be insured for their full value.

Here are five tips for buying and selling gold coins.
Tips on gold coins

Stick with North American coins. The Canadian Maple Leaf and American Eagle gold bullion coins are the easiest to buy and sell. Outside the U.S., the 24-karat Maple Leaf rules; inside, the 22-karat Eagle. "And the Eagle's gold content and purity is guaranteed by the U.S. Mint,".
   Indeed, American Eagle coins can even be put into individual retirement accounts, or IRAs.  
  Widely used gold coins also are easier to sell, unlike the South African Krugerrand and the Austrian Vienna Philharmonic gold coins. These coins are mostly bought and sold outside the U.S.
  To compete with the purer Maple Leaf, the U.S. Mint introduced a new gold bullion coin, the American Buffalo, in 2006. Its 24 karats represent the purest coin ever offered by the U.S. Mint. But it's not bought and sold as frequently as the American Eagle, and it's more expensive. "In general, most people don't know about the American Buffalo,".
    Gold bars are even costlier. They typically trade in 10-ounce amounts, but selling can be a chore. These bars can be expensive to ship back to the dealer.
    If you buy gold coins, store your American Eagles or Canadian Maple Leafs in a safety deposit box or a home safe rather than with a dealer. Physical possession is best to avoid dealer scams.
   Compare dealer prices. The U.S. Mint doesn't sell American Eagle gold coins directly. But there is a dealer location tool on the Mint's website. Comparing prices among dealers is easy, too, because coins sell at a premium above gold's spot price, or its delivery price as a commodity. You can find the spot price on precious metals exchange sites such as Monex-com or Kitco-com.
   Paying more than 5 percent premiums for gold bullion coins doesn't make sense. "Aim for the lowest price," he says. And, avoid buying gold on eBay because you can get caught in a bidding war.
   Buy 1-ounce coins. American Eagle coins are issued in four denominations: 1-ounce, one-half ounce, one-quarter ounce and one-tenth ounce. But the fractional coins carry higher premiums above spot prices than the 1-ounce versions. So, it's best to stick with 1-ounce coins.

    Avoid rare coins. Rare coins require more diligence and expertise when buying them. Two coins may look alike but have completely different grades. This difference can add up to thousands of dollars. You should hire a professional grading service and get a certificate of authenticity when buying rare coins - a hassle for most investors.
These professional grading services judge a coin's physical condition, assigning it a grade. "Buying rare coins is more like an art,".
     Uncover dealer buyback policies. While considering gold bullion coins, find out what a dealer charges to sell them. "Every dealer is different, and some may not charge a premium,". It pays to call and find out the policy.
Final warning: All that glitters isn't gold. There are many scams out there. Some red flags include dealers offering free storage or delayed delivery.
"And don't buy from telemarketers because they charge substantially higher commissions,".

Italian Gold Coins - 20 Lire Gold Coin of 1882.

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ITALY 20 LIRE GOLD COIN
Italian Gold Coins - 20 Lire Gold Coin of 1882.

Italy has issued 20 lire gold coins from 1861 through to 1927. These are known as marenghi, the singular of which is marengo.

Italian States Parma 40 Lire Gold Coin of 1815 Marie Louise of Austria

Italy Parma 40 Lire Gold Coin
Italy Parma 40 Lire Gold Coin Empress Marie Louise Napoleon
Duchy of Parma 40 Lire Gold Coin, Marie Louise of Austria (French Empress and 2nd wife of Napoleon), mint year: 1815

Obverse: Diademed bust of Marie Louise of Austria as Duchess of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla left.
Legend: MARIA LUIGIA PRINC. IMP. ARCID. D' AUSTRIA (privy mark) 1815 (privy mark)

Reverse: Crowne coat of arms of the Duchy of Parma, within order collar.
Legend: PER LA GR . DI DIO DUCH. DI PARMA PIAC. E GUAST. (40 . LIRE )

Mintage: 220,000 only
Mint Place: Milan (Italy)
Reference: KM-32, Friedberg 933. R
Weight: 12.89 gram of Gold (.900)
Diameter: 26 mm

Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma
Marie Louise of Austria (Maria Ludovica Leopoldina Franziska Therese Josepha Lucia von Habsburg-Lothringen; 12 December 1791 – 17 December 1847) was the second wife of Napoleon I, Emperor of the French and later Duchess of Parma. As such, she was Empress of the French from 1810 to 1814, and subsequently ruler of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla from 1814 until her death.
As the eldest child of Habsburg Emperor Francis I of Austria and his second wife, Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily, Marie Louise grew up during a period of continuous conflict between Austria and revolutionary France. A series of military defeats at the hands of Napoleon Bonaparte had inflicted a heavy human toll on Austria and led Francis to dissolve the Holy Roman Empire. The end of the War of the Fifth Coalition resulted in the marriage of Napoleon and Marie Louise in 1810, which ushered in a brief period of peace and friendship between Austria and the French Empire. Marie Louise dutifully agreed to the marriage despite being raised to despise France. She was an obedient wife and was adored by Napoleon, who had been eager to marry a member of one of Europe's leading royal houses to cement his relatively young Empire. With Napoleon, she bore a son, styled the King of Rome at birth, later Duke of Reichstaedt, who briefly succeeded him as Napoleon II.
Napoleon's fortunes began to change dramatically in 1812 after his failed invasion of Russia. The European powers, including Austria, resumed hostilities towards France in the War of the Sixth Coalition, which ended with the abdication of Napoleon and his exile to Elba. The 1814 Treaty of Fontainebleau handed over the Duchies of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla to Empress Marie Louise. She ruled the duchies until her death.
Marie Louise married morganatically twice after Napoleon's death in 1821. Her second husband was Count Adam Albert von Neipperg (married 1821), an equerry she met in 1814. She and Neipperg had three children. After Neipperg's death, she married Count Charles René de Bombelles, her chamberlain, in 1834. Marie Louise died in Parma in 1847.

Duchy of Parma
The Duchy of Parma was created in 1545 from that part of the Duchy of Milan south of the Po River, which had been conquered by the State of the Church in 1512. These territories, centered on the city of Parma, were given as a fief for Pope Paul III's illegitimate son, Pier Luigi Farnese.
In 1556, the second Duke, Ottavio Farnese, was given the city of Piacenza, becoming thus also Duke of Piacenza, and so the state was thereafter properly known as the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza (Italian: Ducato di Parma e Piacenza).
The Farnese family continued to rule until their extinction in 1731, at which point the duchy was inherited by the young son of the King of Spain, Don Charles, whose mother Elizabeth Farnese was the Farnese heiress. He ruled until the end of the War of the Polish Succession in 1735, when Parma was ceded to Emperor Charles VI in exchange for the Two Sicilies.
The Habsburgs only ruled until the conclusion of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748, when it was ceded back to the Bourbons in the person of Don Philip, Don Charles's younger brother, which received also the little Duchy of Guastalla. As duke Philip, he became the founder of the House of Bourbon-Parma reigning over the Duchy of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla (Italian: Ducato di Parma, Piacenza e Guastalla).
In 1796, the duchy was occupied by French troops under Napoleon Bonaparte, and the political situation of the State became extremely confused. Duke Ferdinand maintained his throne under French military governors until the Treaty of Aranjuez of 1801, when a general agreement between the House of Bourbon and Napoleon formally decided the cession of the duchy to France in exchange for Tuscany, but the Duke lasted in Parma until he died in 1802, maybe by poisoning. However, Napoleon was undecided about the future of the duchy, aspiring to a total engagement of the Bourbons in the European wars as his allies. Even if French laws and administration was gradually introduced, the formal annexation to the French Empire was declared only in 1808 after the outbreak of the conflict against Bourbonic Spain. The duchy was reformed as the département of Taro.
In 1814, the duchies were restored under Napoleon's Habsburg wife, Marie Louise, who was to rule them for her lifetime. After Marie Louise's death in 1847, the Duchy was restored to the Bourbon-Parma line, which had been ruling the tiny Duchy of Lucca. In this context, Guastalla was ceded to Modena. The Bourbons ruled until 1859, when they were driven out by a revolution following the French and Sardinian victory in the war against Austria (called Austrian War in France and Second War of Independence in Italy).
The Duchy of Parma and Piacenza joined with the Grand Duchy of Tuscany and the Duchy of Modena to form the United Provinces of Central Italy in December 1859, and merged with the Kingdom of Sardinia into the Kingdom of Italy in March 1860 after holding a referendum.
The House of Bourbon continues to claim the title of duke of Parma to this day. Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Parma has held the title since 2010.

Italian Gold Coin Florin - Fiorino.

Italian Gold Fiorino Coin
Italia, Firenze. 1252-1422. AV Fiorino (20 mm, 3.49 g).
Nerio Lippo, mintmaster. Struck second Semester 1347.
Florentine fleur-de-lis
John the Baptist standing facing, raising hand in benediction and holding cross-tipped sceptre.
CNI XII -; Bernocchi 1551;

Florin - Fiorino
The Italian florin was a coin struck from 1252 to 1533 with no significant change in its design or metal content standard during that time. It had 54 grains of nominally pure or 'fine' gold (3.5g, 0.1125 troy ounce) worth approximately 200 modern US Dollars. The "fiorino d'oro" of the Republic of Florence was the first European gold coin struck in sufficient quantities to play a significant commercial role since the seventh century. As many Florentine banks were international supercompanies with branches across Europe, the florin quickly became the dominant trade coin of Western Europe for large scale transactions, replacing silver bars in multiples of the mark (a weight unit equal to eight troy ounces).
In the fourteenth century, a hundred and fifty European states and local coin issuing authorities made their own copies of the florin. The most important of these was the Hungarian forint, because the Kingdom of Hungary was a major source of European gold (until mining in the New World began to contribute to the supply in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, most of the gold used in Europe came from Africa).
The design of the original Florentine florins was the distinctive fleur-de-lis badge of the city on one side and on the other a standing and facing figure of St. John the Baptist wearing a hair shirt. On other countries' florins, the inscriptions were changed (from "Florentia" around the fleur, and the name of the saint on the other), and local heraldic devices were substituted for the fleur-de-lis.

Later, other figures were often substituted for St. John. On the Hungarian forints, St. John was re-labelled St. Ladislaus, an early Christian King and patron saint of Hungary, and a battle ax substituted for the original's sceptre. Gradually the image became more regal looking.
The weight of the original fiorino d'oro of Florence was chosen to equal the value of one lira (i.e. a nominal silver pound of 20 soldi or 240 denari) in the local money of account in 1252. However, the gold content of the florin did not change while the money of account continued to inflate; by 1500, a florin was worth seven Florentine lire. The values of other countries' money continually varied against each other, reinforcing the florin's utility as a common measure of value for foreign exchange transactions.

Italian States coins - Venetian Gold Ducat - Zecchino, Doge Francesco Molin 1646-1655.

Venice Italy Gold Ducat Coins
Venetian Gold Ducat coin
Italian States coins - Venetian Gold Ducat - Zecchino, Doge Francesco Molin, mint period: 1646-1655

the 99th Doge of Venice - Francesco Molin (1646-1655)
Reference: Gamberini 835, Friedberg 1318. R!
Diameter: 21 mm
Weight: 3.47 gram of gold

Obverse: St. Mark standing right, presenting cross topped banner (with small flag!) to kneeling Doge.
Legend: FRANC . MOLINO – S . M . VENET . / DVX (vertical along banner)

Reverse: Christ standing facing, raising hand in benediction and holding Gospels.
Legend: SIT . T . XPE . DAT . Q . TV – REGIS . ISTE . DVCA
Comment: Halo of light (mandorla) with 18 stars around.

Francesco Molin or Francesco Da Molin (April 21, 1575 – February 27, 1655) was the 99th Doge of Venice, reigning from his election on January 20, 1646 until his death. Molin's reign is notable because of Venice's participation in a prolonged war with the Ottoman Empire over Crete; this war was begun during the reign of Molin's predecessor Francesco Erizzo, and dragged on until 1669. To fund the cost of this war, Molin sold access to the Venetian patriciate at a cost of 100,000 ducats per person.

Gold ducat of Venice
The Venetian business model of the 1200s was importing goods from the East and selling them at a profit north of the Alps. They paid for these goods with Byzantine gold coins but when the Byzantine emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos backed a rebellion called the Sicilian Vespers in 1282, he debased the hyperpyron. This was just one more in a series of debasements of the hyperpyron and the Great Council of Venice responded with its own coin of pure gold in 1284.
  Both Florence and Genoa had introduced gold coins in 1252 and the florin of Florence had become the standard European gold coin. Venice modeled the size and weight of their ducat on the florin, with a slight increase in weight due to differences in the two cities’ weight systems. The Venetian ducat contained 3.545 grams of 99.47% fine gold, the highest purity medieval metallurgy could produce.
Gold ducat of doge Michele Steno of Venice

  Gold ducat types derive from silver ducat types, which were ultimately Byzantine. The obverse shows the Doge of Venice kneeling before St. Mark, the patron saint of Venice. Saint Mark holds the gospel, which is his usual attribute, and presents a gonfalone to the doge. The legend on the left identifies the saint as S M VENET, i.e. Saint Mark of Venice, and the legend on the right identifies the doge, with his title DVX in the field. On the reverse, Christ stands among a field of stars in an oval frame. The reverse legend is the same as on Roger II’s ducats.
  Succeeding doges of Venice continued striking ducats, changing only their name on the obverse. During the 1400s, the value of the ducat in terms of silver money was stable at 124 Venetian soldi, i.e. schillings. The term ducat became identified with this amount of silver money as well as the gold coin. Conflict between England and Spain in 1567, however, increased the price of gold and upset this equivalence. At this point, the coin was called the ducato de zecca, i.e. ducat of the mint, which was shortened to zecchino and corrupted to sequin. Leonardo Loredan extended the coinage with a half ducat and subsequent doges added a quarter, and various multiples up to 105 ducats. All of these coins continued to use the designs and weight standards of the original 1284 ducat. Even after dates became a common feature of western coinage, Venice struck ducats without them until Napoleon ended the Venetian Republic in 1797.

Rome Gold Ducat Coin, Roman Senate.

Rome Gold Ducat Coin
Rome Gold Ducat Coin Fiorino Romano
Vatican, Roman Senate Period Gold Ducat Coin (Fiorino Romano)
Mint Period: 1350-1439 AD

Obverse: St. Peter standing right, presenting banner to kneeling senator. Gear wheel beneath Senator´s initials (M-B) in fields!
Legend: • S • PЄTRVS • E NATOR • VRBI • / NAS (vertical along banner)

Reverse: Christ standing facing, raising hand in benediction and holding Gospels, surrounded by elliptical halo containing nine stars.
Legend: • ROMΛ CΛPVT MV NDI • S • P • Q • R • (facing head of John the Baptist) •
Expanded: ROMA CAPUT MUNDI - SENATUS POPULASQUE ROMANUS
Translated: "Rome capital of the world, The Senate and People of Rome"

Reference: Friedberg 2, MID VOl II #1 var., CNI 610. RR!
Diameter: 21 mm
Weight: 3.5 gram of gold

This coin is similar to the Venetian ducats. The difference is that on the Venetian coins, the Doge is kneeling before St. Mark. Here, a senator is kneeling before St. Peter.

SPQR is an initialism from a Latin phrase, Senatus Populusque Romanus ("The Senate and People of Rome"), referring to the government of the ancient Roman Republic, and used as an official signature of the government. It appears on coins, at the end of documents made public by inscription in stone or metal, in dedications of monuments and public works, and was emblazoned on the standards of the Roman legions. Since the meaning and the words never vary, except for the spelling and inflection of populus in literature, Latin dictionaries classify it as a formula.

Russian Coins - Silver Ruble of Peter II Emperor of Russia, Saint Petersburg Mint 1727.

Silver Ruble Imperial Russian coin of Emperor Peter II
Silver Ruble Imperial Russian coin

Russian Imperial coins Silver Ruble coin of Peter II
Silver ruble Russian coins of Peter II Emperor of Russia

Russian Imperial coins Silver Ruble coin of Emperor Peter II minted in 1727.
Imperial Russian silver coins, make a great addition to any numismatic collection.


Obverse: Laureate and armoured bust of Peter II. to right in mantle. Head parts legend.
Legend: ПЕТРЪ II. ИМПЕРАТОРЪ * И САМОДЕРЖЕЦЪ * ВСЕРОС IСКИ * :
Translated: "Peter II. Emperor and Autocrat of All Russia"

Reverse: Large crown above crowned double-headed Russian eagle holding imperial staff and orb.
Mint initials below (Cyrillic) СП.Б. - Saint Petersburg Mint.
Legend: МОНЕТА * НОВАЯ * ЦЕНА * РУБЛЪ * 1727
Translated: "New coin, price is Ruble, date 1727"

Peter II Alekseyevich (23 October [O.S. 12 October] 1715 – 30 January [O.S. 19 January] 1730) was the Emperor of Russia from 1727 until his death in 1730. He was the only son of Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich (son of Peter the Great "Peter I Emperor of Russia" by his first consort Eudoxia Lopukhina) and Princess Charlotte.
With Peter's death, the direct male line of the Romanov Dynasty ended. He was succeeded by Anna Ivanovna, daughter of Peter the Great's half-brother and co-ruler, Ivan V.

Portugal paper money 1000 Escudos note 1961 Philippa of Lancaster, Queen of Portugal

Portugal paper money 1000 Escudos banknote, Queen of Portugal.
Portugal paper money 1000 Escudos note, Philippa of Lancaster, Queen consort of Portugal.
Portuguese paper money currency 1000 Escudos note bill
Portuguese paper money 1000 Escudos bank note, Monument to the Discoveries. 
Portugal banknote 1000 Escudos banknote 1961 Banco de Portugal
Portuguese banknotes, Portuguese paper money, Portuguese bank notes, Portugal banknotes, Portugal paper money, Portugal bank notes.

Obverse: Portrait of Philippa of Lancaster, (31.03 1359 – 19.07.1415) was Queen consort of Portugal.
Reverse: Monument to the Discoveries (Padrão dos Descobrimentos) is a monument that celebrates the Portuguese who took part in the Age of Discovery, or the Age of Exploration, of the 15th and 16th centuries. Lisbon, Portugal.
3 statues of Portuguese personalities from this monument are:
- Infante Pedro, Duke of Coimbra (son of King John I of Portugal)
- Queen Philippa of Lancaster
- Fernão Mendes Pinto (explorer and writer)

Portugal banknotes - Portugal paper money
1958-1961 Issue

20 Escudos   50 Escudos   100 Escudos   500 Escudos   1000 Escudos




Philippa of Lancaster, Queen of Portugal
Philippa of Lancaster (Portuguese: Filipa de Lencastre; 31 March 1360 – 19 July 1415) was Queen of Portugal from 1387 until 1415 as the wife of King John I. Born into the royal family of England, her marriage secured the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance (1373–1386) and produced several children who became known as the "Illustrious Generation" in Portugal.
   Born on 31 March 1360, Philippa was the oldest child of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster and Blanche of Lancaster. Philippa spent her infancy moving around the various properties owned by her family with her mother and her wet-nurse, Maud. Here, she was raised and educated alongside her two younger siblings, Elizabeth, who was three years younger, and Henry, six years younger, who would later become King Henry IV. Philippa's mother died of plague in 1369. Her father remarried in 1371 to Infanta Constance of Castile, daughter of King Peter of Castile and on Constance's death in 1394, he married his former mistress, Katherine Swynford, who had been Philippa's governess. The affair and eventual marriage was considered scandalous, and in the future Philippa would protect herself against such embarrassment.
   Katherine seems to have been well liked by Philippa and her Lancastrian siblings and played an important role in Philippa's education. Katherine had close ties with Geoffrey Chaucer, since her sister, Philippa Roet, was Chaucer's wife. John of Gaunt became Chaucer's patron, and Chaucer spent much time with the family as one of Philippa's many mentors and teachers. She was remarkably well educated for a female at the time and studied science under Friar John, poetry under Jean Froissart, and philosophy and theology under John Wycliffe. She was well read in the works of Greek and Roman scholars such as Pliny and Herodotus and was diligent in her study of religion.
Marriage
Philippa became Queen consort of Portugal through her marriage to King John I. This marriage was the final step in the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance against the France-Castile axis. The couple were blessed by the church in the Cathedral of Porto on 2 February 1387 and their marriage was on 14 February 1387. The Portuguese court celebrated the union for fifteen days. Philippa married King John I by proxy, and in keeping with a unique Portuguese tradition, the stand-in bridegroom pretended to bed the bride. The stand-in for King John I was João Rodrigues de Sá.
   The marriage itself, as was usually the case for the nobility in the Middle Ages, was a matter of state and political alliance, and the couple did not meet until twelve days after they were legally married. Philippa was considered to be rather plain, and King João I (John I) already had a mistress, Inês Peres Esteves, by whom he had three children. Their son Afonso was ten when Philippa and John married. Philippa allowed Afonso and his sister Beatrice to be raised in the Portuguese court (the third child, Branca, died in infancy). Their mother left the court at Philippa's command to live in a convent, and under Philippa's patronage, she became the Prioress.
   In marrying Philippa, John I established a political and personal alliance with John of Gaunt, initially because it was rumoured that John of Gaunt would claim the Kingdom of Castile through Catherine of Lancaster, his daughter by his second wife Constance of Castile. As the "de facto King of Castile," it was feared that John of Gaunt could challenge King John's claim to the newly installed dynasty. Instead, at Windsor in 1386, John I of Portugal signed the remarkably long-lasting Portuguese-British Alliance, which continued through the Napoleonic Wars and ensured Portugal's tenuous neutrality in World War II. Philippa, at the age of 27, was thought to be too old to become a bride for the first time, and the court questioned her ability to bear the King's children; however, Philippa bore nine children, six of whom survived into adulthood.
Philippa was apparently a generous and loving queen, the mother of the "Illustrious Generation" (in Portuguese, Ínclita Geração) of infantes (princes) and infantas (princesses). Her children were:
Blanche (13 July 1388 – 6 March 1389), died in infancy.
Alphonse (30 July 1390 – 22 December 1400), heir of the throne, died in infancy.
Edward (31 October 1391 – 13 September 1438), a writer and an intellectual who succeeded his father as King of Portugal in 1433.
Peter (9 December 1392 – 20 May 1449), Duke of Coimbra, a well-travelled man who served as Regent during the minority of his nephew Afonso V.
Henry (4 March 1394 – 13 November 1460), called "the Navigator", first Duke of Viseu, who guided Portugal to the Age of Discovery.
Isabella (21 February 1397 – 11 December 1471), married Philip III of Burgundy.
Blanche (11 April 1398 – 27 July 1398), died in infancy.
John (13 January 1400 – 18 October 1442), Constable of Portugal, Lord of Reguengos, grandfather of two 16th century Iberian monarchs (Manuel I of Portugal and Isabella I of Castile).
Ferdinand (29 September 1402 – 5 June 1443), called "the Saint Prince", a warrior who was captured during the Disaster of Tangier in 1437 and died a prisoner of the Moors.
Death
At the age of 53, like her mother, Philippa fell ill with the plague. She moved from Lisbon to Sacavém and called her sons to her bedside so that she could give them her blessing. Philippa presented her three eldest sons with jewel-encrusted swords, which they would use in their impending knighthoods, and gave each a portion of the True Cross, "enjoining them to preserve their faith and to fulfil the duties of their rank".
Though he had been reluctant to marry her, the king had grown quite fond of his wife, and it is said that he was "so grieved by [her] mortal illness… that he could neither eat nor sleep". In her final hours, Philippa was said to be lucid and without pain. According to legend she was roused by a wind which blew strongly against the house and asked what wind it was, upon hearing it was the north wind, she claimed it quite beneficial for her son's and husband's voyage to Africa, which she had coordinated. At her death she prayed with several priests and, "without any toil or suffering, gave her soul into the hands of Him who created her, a smile appearing on her mouth as though she disdained the life of this world".
Legacy
Philippa and King John's union was praised for establishing purity and virtue in a court that was regarded as particularly corrupt. Philippa is remembered as the mother of "The Illustrious Generation" (Portuguese: Ínclita Geração). Her surviving children went on to make historically significant contributions in their own right. Duarte of Portugal became the eleventh King of Portugal, and was known as, "The Philosopher," or the "Eloquent." Henrique, or Henry the Navigator, sponsored expeditions to Africa.
   Philippa's influence was documented in literary works. The medieval French poet Eustache Deschamps dedicated one of his ballads to "Phelippe en Lancastre," as a partisan of the Order of the Flower. It has also been speculated that Geoffrey Chaucer may have alluded to Philippa in his poem, "The Legend of Good Women," through the character, Alceste.