Description

The Imprensa Nacional Casa da Moeda (INCM) has released new commemorative gold, silver, and base metal coins, which launched a new collector series entitled “Músicos Portugueses” that will feature some of the country’s most well-known and beloved performers. The first coin to launch the series focuses on Jose Afonso, generally regarded as one of Portugal’s most influential folk musicians of the 20th century.

José Manuel Cerqueira Afonso dos Santos (1929–1987), known professionally as José Afonso and also popularly known as Zeca Afonso, was a Portuguese singer-songwriter. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of Portugal's folk and protest music scene. His music played a significant role in the resistance against the dictatorial Estado Novo regime, making him an icon in Portugal.

Afonso's song "Grândola, Vila Morena" was used as a radio-broadcast signal by the Portuguese Armed Forces during their military coup operation in the morning of 25 April 1974, which led to the Carnation Revolution and the transition to democracy in Portugal. Subsequently, Afonso's music, along with "Grândola, Vila Morena," became emblematic of the revolution, anti-fascism, the Portuguese labor movement, and the political left.

Design: Francisco Providência