Portugal - D. João V (1706-1750) - Gold - Dobra 1729 R; G.139.04, JS J5.33, AI.O195 ; aUNC

The king who will forever be associated with the construction of the Convent of Mafra and the Queluz Palace has a prominent place in the history of numismatics in Portugal and Brazil. If the gold coins minted during his reign are today among the most beautiful in the world, much was due to the way he took advantage of the gold from Brazil and transformed it into spectacular series of coins. The Dobra 1729 R, minted in Rio de Janeiro, is an excellent example of the splendour of the Johannine coins from Brazilian lands.

After India, Brazil was the second Portuguese territory where coins were minted in its own workshops. They were located in cities such as São Salvador da Baía, Rio de Janeiro and Pernambuco. Gold, silver and copper coins were struck and, as in Portugal, those of King D. João V are among the most significant. According to the Brazilian Casa da Moeda/Clube da Medalha do Brasil, "during the long reign of King D. João V (1706-1750), the growth of gold mining in Brazil was such that the colony also started to mint gold coins for the Kingdom. The coins were manufactured involving two systems: the national or strong one, for circulation in Portugal, and the provincial or weak one, for circulation in the Colony".

According to the same source, "the Mint of Rio de Janeiro minted gold coins for the Portuguese national system with the legend JOANNES V D.G PORT. ET ALG. REX (King João V by grace of God King of Portugal and the Algarves). Some of the most beautiful gold pieces, such as the Escudo series, originated from this Mint". The minting of Dobrões at the Minas Gerais Mint (in the city of Vila Rica, now Ouro Preto) between 1724 and 1727 also deserves to be mentioned.

According to an article published in the Revista de Arqueologia Pública in Brazil, between 1724 and 1735, the foundry and mint of Vila Rica struck more coins than the Mints of Lisbon and Rio de Janeiro combined. The establishment of a mint in Minas Gerais was proclaimed in 1720, the year in which powdered gold was banned from circulating within the captaincy. In addition to coins equal to those minted in the Kingdom, in Rio and in Bahia, the new mint was to manufacture pieces with nominal values of 20,000 and 10,000 réis, which would circulate with actual values of 24,000 and 12,000 réis.

The origin of coins minted in Brazil, among which include those of King D. João V, is identified by the letter associated with them. Thus, B stands for Baía, R for Rio de Janeiro and M is related to the Mint of Minas Gerais. The first Mint opened by the Portuguese Crown on Brazilian land was in Baía, in 1694. That of Rio de Janeiro was inaugurated in 1699.