1918 - 1935 - New series for circulation
Autor: Decio Escobar Oliveira Ladislau | Publicado: 2012-05-23T18:11:00-07:00


New series of coins for circulation purposes made of copper-nickle, aluminium-bronze and silver. Law nr. 3454 of januari 6, 1918 authorised the coinage of small change made of nickle and bronze. Decree nr. 3545 of october 2, 1918 liberated the sum of 10.000.000 réis to strike new coins of 20 en 50 réis and to design new coins of 2000 réis. As a result of these laws new coins made of nickle were struck with the values of 20, 50, 100, 200 and 400 réis. The coinage of new coins of 500 and 1000 réis was regulated by law nr. 4783 of december 31, 1923 until a sum of 15.000.000.000 réis. This same law regulated the coinage of silver coins of 2000 réis until a sum of 20.000.000.000 réis. In 1914 a design was made for a coin of 2000 réis with the image of abundantia. This image was now used on the coins of 500 and 1000 réis of this series. The engraver of the dies for the coins of 500, 1000 and 2000 réis was João da Cruz Vargas, initials JV on these coins.&nbsp;

The design for these coins of 500, 1000 and 2000 réis was regulated by decree nr. 16.409 of march 12, 1924. During the first world was Brazil, as other countries not in war, had benefited of the trade of much wanted materials and goods at high prices and high quantities. After the war however Brazil fell into a deep recension because of much lower prices and the decline and fall of the coffee market. Because of this and internal political trouble the Brazilian mil réis began to desvalorize. Also the the crash of the New York stock exchange in 1929 had a catastrophical outcome on the Brazilian economy and the value of the mil mil réis. Because of this it was no longer possible to strike silver coins of 500 and 1000 réis but these coins were now struck in an alloy of aluminium-bronze, also because the price of silver began to rise. Only the coins of 2000 réis were struck in silver but with a lower silver content, 500/1000 silver instead of 900/1000 silver.&nbsp;

During circulation the silver colour on the higher parts of these coins, for example the face of the womans head, turned to a darker colour. This was the reason that the coins received nicknames refering to the lower alloy of the coins. Some of the nicknames were fine one, silver dip, Isabela, half silver, dirty face, Catarina, poor thing and bitch. In these times of crisis the counterfitting of coins reached an all time high. During the years 1920-1940, almost every type of coin and every date was copied by counterfitters. Interesting are the coins of 500 réis with the dates 1926 en 1929. All the coins with these dates are counterfit, these dates were never struck in the official Brazilian mint. In the case of the 500 réis coin with the date 1929 there is some further information about the counterfitter.&nbsp;

In the city of  Ribeirão Preto a plumber was arrested because his wive spend large quantities of 500 réis coins wich attracted the curiousity of the local police. The plumbers lawyer however stated that his client did not counterfit anything because 500 réis coins with the date 1929 were never officialy minted. Also the treasury department and the Brazilian mint declared that they had never struck these dates. Because of this the plumber was only accused of imitating coins and not falsificating coins. He was liberated and was permited to await the outcome of the trial as a free man! During that time the street where the plumber had his workshop, became known as "street of the treasurer".&nbsp;



20 réis copper-nickel KM # 516.1&nbsp;






75% copper and 25% nickle, weight 2,00 gr.Obv: Woman representing Brazil with 21 stars around the head Rev: 20 RÉIS in flowery shaped ornaments.&nbsp;Text: republic of the united states of Brazil and date.&nbsp;



50 réis copper-nickel&nbsp;KM # 517






75% copper and 25% nickle, weight 3,00 gr.Obv: Woman representing Brazil with 21 stars around the headRev: 50 RÉIS in a circle of pearls. Text: republic of the united states of Brazil and date.&nbsp;



100 réis&nbsp;copper-nickel&nbsp;KM # 518






75% copper and 25% nickle, weight 5,00 gr.Obv: Woman representing Brazil with 21 stars around the head.Rev: 100 RÉIS in a circle of pearls. Text: republic of the united states of Brazil and date.&nbsp;



200 réis&nbsp;copper-nickel&nbsp;KM # 519






75% copper and 25% nickle, weight 8,00 gr.Obv: Woman representing Brazil with 21 stars around the head.Rev: 200 RÉIS in a circle of pearls. Text: republic of the united states of Brazil and date.&nbsp;



400 réis copper-nickel&nbsp;KM # 520









75% copper and 25% nickle, weight 12,00 gr.Obv: Woman representing Brazil with 21 stars around the head.Rev: 400 RÉIS in a circle of pearls. Text: republic of the united states of Brazil and date.&nbsp;



500 réis copper-aluminium&nbsp;KM # 524






91% copper and 9% aluminium, weight 4,00 gr.Obv:  Knieling woman, representing abundantia, inside circle of 21 stars.Rev: The value 500 réis within ornament of leaves. Text: Brazil and date.&nbsp;



1000 réis aluminium-bronze&nbsp;KM # 525






91% copper and 9% aluminium, weight 8,00 gr.Obv:  Knieling woman, representing abundantia, inside circle of 21 stars.Rev: The value 1000 réis within ornament of leaves. Text: Brazil and date.&nbsp;



2000 réis silver&nbsp;KM # 526






50% silver and 10% copper, weight 8,00 gr,Obv:  Womans head representing Brazil, inside circle of 21 stars.Rev: The value 2000 réis within ornament of leaves. Text: republic of the united states of Brazil.