Brazilian Independence Commemorative Coins

Celebrating the milestone at 100, 150 and 200 years

monte de moedas de diversos padrões monetários (2022) by Banco Central do BrasilMuseu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil

Coins tell stories about the country that minted them, about the places where they circulated.

This is the case in Brazil, with even greater richness, because we have had several monetary standards that lasted for years, until they were replaced, arriving at the current standard: the real.

selo do bicentenário (2022) by Governo do BrasilMuseu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil

Commemorative coins were produced in three of these patterns to remember the Brazilian Independence, when it reached its 100th, 150th and 200th anniversaries.

mosaico: pintura, cédula e moeda de época (1922) by Banco Central do BrasilMuseu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil

100 years of independence - réis standard

When Brazil celebrated its 100th anniversary of independence in 1922, the monetary standard was the réis and Tarsila do Amaral was beginning her career.
At that time, the 500, 1000 and 2000 réis commemorative coins, created by Augusto Girardet, were manufactured and circulated in the country's economy.

Moeda de 500 réis Moeda de 500 réis (reverso), Banco Central do Brasil, 1922, From the collection of: Museu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil
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Moeda de 500 réis Moeda de 500 réis (anverso), Banco Central do Brasil, 1922, From the collection of: Museu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil
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Moeda de 1000 réis Moeda de 1000 réis (reverso), Banco Central do Brasil, 1922, From the collection of: Museu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil
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Moeda de 1000 réis Moeda de 1000 réis (anverso), Banco Central do Brasil, 1922, From the collection of: Museu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil
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Moeda de 2000 réis Moeda de 2000 réis (reverso), Banco Central do Brasil, 1922, From the collection of: Museu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil
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Moeda de 2000 réis Moeda de 2000 réis (anverso), Banco Central do Brasil, 1922, From the collection of: Museu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil
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Moeda de 500 réis (1922) by Banco Central do BrasilMuseu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil

Trivia: Some coins were minted with an error in the word Brazil - a letter B where the letter R should be.

mosaico: pintura, cédulas e moeda de época (1972) by Banco Central do BrasilMuseu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil

150 years of independence - cruzeiro pattern

In the year of the 150th anniversary, 1972, the economy was using the cruzeiro standard and Milton Dacosta was painting a "kneeling figure".
Then commemorative coins of 1, 20 and 300 cruzeiros were produced, the first commemorative coins launched by the BCB, created by Aloísio Magalhães.

Moeda de 1 cruzeiro Moeda de 1 cruzeiro (reverso), Banco Central do Brasil, 1972, From the collection of: Museu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil
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Moeda de 1 cruzeiro Moeda de 1 cruzeiro (anverso), Banco Central do Brasil, 1972, From the collection of: Museu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil
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Moeda de 20 cruzeiros Moeda de 20 cruzeiros (reverso), Banco Central do Brasil, 1972, From the collection of: Museu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil
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Moeda de 20 cruzeiros Moeda de 20 cruzeiros (anverso), Banco Central do Brasil, 1972, From the collection of: Museu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil
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Moeda de 20 cruzeiros Moeda de 20 cruzeiros (bordo), Banco Central do Brasil, 1972, From the collection of: Museu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil
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Moeda de 300 cruzeiros Moeda de 300 cruzeiros (reverso), Banco Central do Brasil, 1972, From the collection of: Museu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil
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Moeda de 300 cruzeiros Moeda de 300 cruzeiros (anverso), Banco Central do Brasil, 1972, From the collection of: Museu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil
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Moeda de 300 cruzeiros Moeda de 300 cruzeiros (bordo), Banco Central do Brasil, 1972, From the collection of: Museu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil
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Moeda de 300 cruzeiros (1972) by Banco Central do BrasilMuseu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil

Trivia: Edge lettering: sesquicentennial of independence

mosaico: cédula e moeda de época mais a pintura de 1970 "goleiro", nossa homenagem a Pelé (2022) by Banco Central do BrasilMuseu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil

200 years of independence - real standard

In 2022, the year in which we celebrate the bicentennial of independence, we used the real monetary standard in Brazil. A sad year for football, as we lost Pelé and the World Cup. That year, the 2 and 5 Real commemorative coins, intended for collectors, were produced.

Moeda de 2 reais Moeda de 2 reais (anverso), Banco Central do Brasil, 2022, From the collection of: Museu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil
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Moeda de 2 reais Moeda de 2 reais (reverso), Banco Central do Brasil, 2022, From the collection of: Museu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil
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The 2 Real coin displays part of a painting that is an icon about the moment of independence: "Independência ou Morte", also known as "O grito do Ipiranga", by painter Pedro Américo.

Now, you are the artist.
Choose your colors and use this 2 Real coin design to create your artistic coin. Then take a picture and share it on your social networks, making the coin circulate in the virtual environment as well.

Learn more about the painting "Independence or Death" (Museu Paulista/USP)

Moeda de 2 reais Moeda de 2 reais (reverso) (2022) by Banco Central do BrasilMuseu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil

Trivia: this is the first coin in Brazil with colored enamel application on the surface.

Moeda de 5 reais Moeda de 5 reais (anverso), Banco Central do Brasil, 2022, From the collection of: Museu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil
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Moeda de 5 reais Moeda de 5 reais (reverso), Banco Central do Brasil, 2022, From the collection of: Museu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil
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The 5 Real coin displays a composition of a painting and a lithograph, which highlight the participation of Dona Leopoldina and Dom Pedro I in this historical fact.

Moeda de 5 reais Moeda de 5 reais (anverso) (2022) by Banco Central do BrasilMuseu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil

Learn more about the works: Dom Pedro I Imperador (BBM/USP) and Session of the Council of State (MHN), also represented on this coin.

monte de moedas de diversos padrões monetários (2022) by Banco Central do BrasilMuseu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil

Besides telling stories, coins are part of our lives, they bring us memories and emotions. 
"Copper pennies: 
I still see them, 
I still feel them, 
I still hold them 
in my closed hand." 

In the verses above, the poet Cora Coralina registered her memories of the vintém (20 réis coin).

composição com reverso de 3 moedas (2022) by Banco Central do BrasilMuseu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil

What about you? Of the three coins shown, which one did you like best?

Which one would you like to have on hand?
We are privileged to be living the celebrations of the Bicentennial of Independence! It will take another 100 years for there to be an event like this.

The Bicentennial commemorative coins, along with the others, will always remind us of this anniversary. For years and years and years, it will be as if we can see and feel them, reliving the emotions of this defining moment.

Credits: Story

Imagens: acervo do Museu de Valores do Banco Central do Brasil
Fotografias: Denir Miranda, Raphael Ribeiro, com apoio de David Soares
Concepção e seleção de conteúdos: Denir Miranda, Giovanni Gaio, com apoio de Wendell Okamoto
Edição de imagens: Giovanni Gaio
Montagem da exposição: Giovanni Gaio e Edgar Yang
Realização: Banco Central do Brasil | Departamento de Promoção da Cidadania Financeira - Depef | Divisão do Museu de Valores
Poema: "Vintém de cobre" de Cora Coralina
Desenho para colorir: Casa da Moeda do Brasil
Vídeo: "Conheça as Moedas Comemorativas do Bicentenário da Independência"
Litografia: "Dom Pedro I Imperador" (BBM/USP)
Quadro: "Sessão do Conselho de Estado" (MHN)
Quadro: "Independência ou Morte" (Museu Paulista/USP)

Mosaicos com quadros do Acervo de arte do BC e cédulas:
100 anos - "Nu", Tarsila do Amaral, 1922; 100 mil réis.
150 anos - "Figura ajoelhada", Milton Dacosta, 1971; 100 e 50 cruzeiros.
200 anos - "Goleiro", Vicente do Rego Monteiro, 1970; 200 reais.

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.

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