History of the money in Brazil

2 - Brazil elevated to United Kingdom with Portugal and Algarves

In 1818, always to assist to the government's expenses, the Bank of Brazil started to emit without ballast, also values inferior to 30.000 Reis, what contradicted the statutory dispositions.

Between 1818 and 1822, the Mints of Rio de Janeiro and Bahia strike silver coins of a new type, having in the obverse side the royal crown topping the value, the date and the monetary letter (R for Rio de Janeiro and B for Bahia), flanked by two branches, tied below by a bow.

There were some coinages in copper coins done especially for the provinces. In 1820, the Rio de Janeiro Mint struck pieces of 40 and 80 Reis destined to Mato Grosso and Goias. From 1818 to 1821, the mint houses of Rio and Minas Gerais minted coins of 37½ and 75 Reis for exclusive circulation in this future province (Minas Gerais), in substitution to the old powdered gold bills of exchange, which was much falsified to the time. In the province of Cuiaba the Spanish-American 8 Reales in circulation, received a countermark of 960 Reis (very rare). The copper coins remained in circulation up to 1823.

With the fall of the Napoleonic Empire, D. Joao VI returns to Portugal in 1821 to resume the throne, threatened by the Constitutionalist Revolution in O Porto. Bringing with him, the metallic reservations of Bank of Brazil, worsening the financial crisis which destabilized the bank. In 1828, when ending the statutory period of duration, the bank got to emit notes of 1,000 and 2,000 Reis to help in the lack of small cash. The first two emissions was done, with engraved foils made in London, consisted in notes printed in black on very thin paper, just on one side, being the back destined to the signature of authentication. The third emission was made with printed notes on both sides, in black and in colors, with the same illustration of the second emission, but now flanked by children symbolizing the trade. In the law of September 23, 1829, that decreed the end of the bank, the government assumed the responsibility for the previous emissions, substituting them by note of a new pattern, which should be received until the complete exchange.

When returning to Portugal, D. Joao VI left his son D. Pedro, who assumes the government of Kingdom in condition of prince regent.  D. Joao dreamed that, with his death, D. Pedro was able to inherit the throne of Portugal and to maintain the union of the two kingdoms, in spite of having movements of Brazilian independence, when he returns to Portugal. However the constitutionalist in Lisbon forces Brazil to return to the colony condition, this accelerates the process, taking the own Regent to proclaim the independence in 1822 and being acclaimed to "Constitutional Emperor and Perpetual Defensor of Brazil", with the title of D. Pedro I.

To be continued. Next "Independence of Brazil 3.1 - First Empire".

If you have any question, just email me, I am all ways happy to help.

Francisco Partos
E&P Numismatica

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