When we talk about world coins and bullion, we often refer to countries such as Canada, Mexico, Great Britain, China, Australia, New Zealand, and so on. Why those countries? Even in the United States, those countries have popular coinage options and continue minting products every year just like here in America at the United States Mint. With all of that in mind, how do you think collectors would feel about those coins being the last to ever be minted? For example, instead of the Mint just simply changing the reverse design of the American Gold and Silver Eagle, they decided to end the program altogether and make those coins in 2021 the last ever produced?
With the above question in mind, we make our way to discuss the next entry in the 100 Greatest Modern World Coins book as published in Whitman Publishing’s new and only current edition. As authors Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker lay the groundwork for us in understanding the importance of this compiled list, we head to Brazil to take a closer look at a coin that was one of two last gold coins produced by the country.
#45 - Brazil 1922 Gold 10,000 Reis
The country of Brazil gave way to producing precious metal circulating coinage after the impact of World War II. The last coinage series containing silver was the 5,000 reis, a .600 silver coin that would be issued from 1936-1938 and feature aviation pioneer Alberto Santos-Dumont. For the gold series, there would be just two denominations produced and struck between 1889 to 1922 and those would be the final coins: “Republic” 10,000 and 20,000 reis.
While neither of the gold issues were considered to be highly struck in any year that they were produced, this would be deemed ultimately true in 1922 when just six were reported to exist for the 10,000 reis denomination. Of those six considered to exist, only two have been found and offered for sale in the last 20 years. In March of 1997, the example named the Norweb specimen brought $22,000 as it was declared an Uncirculated condition with a Prooflike finish. However, as recently as January 2014, an example of the 1922 Gold Reis from Brazil brought $105,750 at auction as it was certified by NGC in a MS64.