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2½ ECU Bartolomeu Dias
| Issuer | Imprensa Nacional - Casa da Moeda |
|---|---|
| Year | 1993 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 2½ ECU (2.5 XEU) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Left field bears a bold bust of the Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias facing right, depicted in armoured attire in a vigorous Renaissance portrait style. Behind him, a detailed seascape shows sailing caravels navigating open waters beneath a dramatic rocky coastline. The mint mark INCM appears in the upper right field. The legend EUROPA E OS NOVOS MUNDOS arcs along the upper rim, while the explorer's name BARTOLOMEU DIAS curves along the lower rim. The design is attributed to engraver Willem Vis. |
| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
Issued to mark the 500th anniversary of Bartolomeu Dias rounding the Cape of Good Hope in 1488 — though the coin appeared five years late by that count, timed instead to Expo '93 in Lisbon rather than to the voyage itself. The ECU denomination was Portugal's calculated hedge during the Maastricht transition period, producing collector pieces denominated in the European Currency Unit before the country formally locked into euro conversion rates in 1999.