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CC 83 2010
Blister pack
Proof
Proof blister
Portugal · 100 years of the Portuguese Republic
Mintage8,864
Issue price€16.64
Issue date7 Sept 2010
PackagingBlister pack
Edge lettering5 Wappenschilde + 7 castles, evenly distributed
Market price€39.00
Issue occasion
The coin commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa). The design features the Portuguese coat of arms and the image of “República” as two central symbols of the republic, surrounded by the inscription “República Portuguesa — 1910-2010”, the mint mark “INCM” and the name of the engraver “JOSE CÂNDIDO”.
The design
The inner part of the coin depicts the Portuguese coat of arms and the effigy of the “República” in the centre, two of the most characteristic symbols of the Republic of Portugal, surrounded by the inscription “República Portuguesa — 1910-2010”, the mint mark “INCM” and the engraver’s name “JOSE CÂNDIDO”.
The twelve stars of the European flag are depicted on the outer ring of the coin.
The twelve stars of the European flag are depicted on the outer ring of the coin.
Background on the topic
On 5 October 1910, the Portuguese monarchy was overthrown in Lisbon (Lissabon). It was preceded by political conflicts, economic difficulties and a growing republican movement. As early as 1908, King Carlos I and the Crown Prince Luís Filipe had been killed in an assassination attempt. Manuel II, who ruled thereafter, was unable to stabilize the monarchy permanently. Following an uprising led by republican military personnel and civilians, he left the country; Portugal was declared a republic.
Initially, a provisional government under Teófilo Braga assumed state leadership. The Constitution of 1911 established a parliamentary republic and regulated the election of a president by Congress. At the same time, the new government initiated a consistent separation of state and the Catholic Church. Civil marriage and divorce were regulated by law, religious orders were restricted and ecclesiastical property was partly nationalized. The flag, anthem and state imagery were also redefined.
The female figure of “República” is not a historical person, but a personification of the republican form of government. Its depiction follows the tradition of ancient allegories of liberty and resembles the French Marianne. It often wears a Phrygian cap, which has been used as a symbol of freedom since the French Revolution. After 1910, this figure appeared, among other places, on coins, stamps, posters and in public buildings.
The Portuguese coat of arms, by contrast, combines older national symbols with the republican order. The shield with the five smaller shields and the castles is based in its basic forms on the medieval kingdom. Since the establishment of the republic, it has been placed on an armillary sphere, an astronomical instrument that had already been closely associated with Portugal and its maritime history.
The First Republic founded in 1910 ended in 1926 through a military coup. Nevertheless, 5 October remained a central national commemorative day as the founding date of the republican form of government. The centenary therefore provided the immediate occasion for the coin’s issue.
Initially, a provisional government under Teófilo Braga assumed state leadership. The Constitution of 1911 established a parliamentary republic and regulated the election of a president by Congress. At the same time, the new government initiated a consistent separation of state and the Catholic Church. Civil marriage and divorce were regulated by law, religious orders were restricted and ecclesiastical property was partly nationalized. The flag, anthem and state imagery were also redefined.
The female figure of “República” is not a historical person, but a personification of the republican form of government. Its depiction follows the tradition of ancient allegories of liberty and resembles the French Marianne. It often wears a Phrygian cap, which has been used as a symbol of freedom since the French Revolution. After 1910, this figure appeared, among other places, on coins, stamps, posters and in public buildings.
The Portuguese coat of arms, by contrast, combines older national symbols with the republican order. The shield with the five smaller shields and the castles is based in its basic forms on the medieval kingdom. Since the establishment of the republic, it has been placed on an armillary sphere, an astronomical instrument that had already been closely associated with Portugal and its maritime history.
The First Republic founded in 1910 ended in 1926 through a military coup. Nevertheless, 5 October remained a central national commemorative day as the founding date of the republican form of government. The centenary therefore provided the immediate occasion for the coin’s issue.