NUMISMATICS

By J. (Kim) Pereira

(Member of SCPT'S Numismatic Section)

It will be a big surprise for many people to know that there were Portuguese coins circulating in Canada as local currency.

Strictly speaking Canada then was not the same it is today, but the areas were about the same that nowadays form this country.

Only after 1820 some provincial governments started issuing coins but exclusively made of copper and without imperial consent, which started to be given only after 1850. Until then for about two hundred years, Canada used foreign coins, namely from France, Great Britain, Spain, Spanish America, Portugal and the United States.

The Portuguese, three different gold coins, showed up during the 18th and early 19th centuries, and were extensively used here.

The first was a coin with a denomination of 4.000 Reis, with the cross of Jerusalem on the reverse, stuck from the reign of Alfonso V (1111656-1683) to the reign of John V (1706-1750). It was given the name of MOIDORE (from the French "gold coin") and as a curiosity one can say that today, is worth about C$1,500.00, if in very good condition.

The second was the one, which cane to be known as "JOE" because it had the effigy of John V, reign during which it was struck, with a denomination of 12,800 Reis. In the Portuguese coin book it is known by the name DOBRA and if you are a lucky owner of one, you have in your possession a jewel which, in very good condition, may be worth today C$7,000 or even more.

Finally it also circulated the "1/2JOE", with a denomination of 6.400 Reis, called PEÇA by the Portuguese, with the same design as the JOE.

This name "1/2 JOE" was also applied to the 6.400 Reis issued after John V. The JOE was not issued in subsequent reigns and the name JOE was eventually used for the 6.400 Reis denomination.

The value of the "1/2 JOE" today, when in prime condition, is about C$1,200.

The JOE was, without a doubt, the most important Portuguese coin circulating in Canada.

And how did these coins find their way into Canada? It is not exactly known, but a possible explanation is that they may have been brought in the Portuguese fishing fleet coming every year to Newfoundland to catch codfish. Another explanation is that they were filtered into North America from Brazil, through trade, since many of them were struck in this country.

My congratulations to you if you have in your collection one of these beautiful and historical coins. And I would love to have a good look at them…