Description

Portuguese Mozambique or Portuguese East Africa (1498–1975) are the common terms by which Mozambique is designated when referring to the historic period when it was a Portuguese overseas territory. Portuguese Mozambique constituted a string of Portuguese colonies and later a single Portuguese overseas province along the south-east African coast, which now forms the Republic of Mozambique.

Obverse

Depicts the coat of arms (1935-1951), name of country above, date below.

The coats of arms of the Portuguese colonies were introduced in 1935. All arms were of the same model: divided vertically in such a way that two sub-shields are formed. The dexter was white with five small blue shields each bearing five white discs (i.e. Cinco Quinas, Five Quinas representing the motherland). The sinister represented the colony. The colonial sub-shields for Mozambique depicted a bundle of seven arrows, points downwards and tied together with a ribbon, in the sinister part. The arrows are the symbol of St. Sebastian who was martyred with arrows. This symbol was adopted for the whole of Mozambique because the first capital of the Portuguese possessions in Eastern Africa was San Sebastião de Mozambique, named after king Sebastião (1557-1578). In the base green and white waves to indicate the overseas location. To complete the badge, the arms were set upon a golden armillary sphere with a golden mural crown. The crown had 5 apparent towers in each tower charged an armillary sphere and in each space between towers charged Christ’s cross.

• COLONIA DE MOÇAMBIQUE •
1941

Reverse

Denomination in the centre.

REPUBLICA PORTUGUESA •
20
CENTAVOS

Edge
Characteristics
Material Bronze
Weight 5.1 g
Diameter 25.1 mm
Thickness -
Shape round
Alignment -

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