Item number: A1686

Year: AD 1853

Material: Silver (.917)

Size: 37.1 x 37.1 x 2.5 mm

Weight: 25.4g

Manufactured by: Brazil Mint, Rio de Janeiro

Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2014

This is a 2,000 réis silver coin minted in AD 1853 at the Rio de Janeiro Mint and issued in the name of Emperor Pedro II of Brazil.

The obverse of the coin features the coat of arms of the Empire of Brazil. At its centre, it displays a superimposed armillary sphere and the Cross of the Order of Christ. These two symbols were commonly used in the colonial emblems of Portugal following the Age of Discovery, with the former representing maritime exploration and cartography, while the latter was the insignia of the Royal Military Order of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Real Ordem Militar de Nosso Senhor Jesus Cristo), which became a symbol of Portuguese naval power after being adopted by Prince Henry the Navigator. Encircling the armillary sphere are nineteen stars, symbolising the nineteen provinces of Brazil. The entire emblem is set upon a shield, forming the national coat of arms. Surrounding the shield are a fruit-bearing coffee branch on the left and a flowering tobacco branch on the right, both of which represent key agricultural commodities of the Brazilian economy. Above the shield is the Imperial Crown of Brazil, while above it, the Latin motto “IN HOC SIGNO VINCES” is inscribed, meaning “By this sign, you shall conquer.” This phrase originates from the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, who, according to legend, saw a divine vision of the cross before battle and heard these words. He subsequently adopted the Chi-Rho (☧) symbol as his standard and secured a decisive victory at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. Similarly, the first King of Portugal, Afonso I, is said to have experienced a divine revelation from Christ, leading to his overwhelming victory against Muslim forces at the Battle of Ourique.

The reverse of the coin prominently displays the denomination “2000”, with the unit réis. This is encircled by a laurel wreath, which, upon closer examination of its opposite-leaved arrangement and small round fruits growing at the leaf axils, appears to represent coffee branches. The outer inscription contains the Latin abbreviation “PETRUS II.D.G.CONST.IMP.ET PERP.BRAS.DEF.”, which expands to “Petrus Secundus Dei Gratia Constitutionalis Imperator Et Perpetuus Brasiliæ Defensor”, translating to “Pedro II, by the Grace of God and the Constitution, Constitutional Emperor and Perpetual Defender of Brazil.” Below this, the date “1853” marks the year of issuance.

Pedro II (AD 1825–1891) was the second and final monarch of the Portugal Braganza dynasty in Brazil branch, reigning from AD 1831 to 1889. His reign oversaw political stability, economic growth, and advancements in culture and science, with a gradual shift towards the abolition of slavery. By the 1850s, Pedro II had reached maturity and consolidated his personal rule. His policies focused on national unity, infrastructure development, education, and scientific progress, while also addressing both domestic and international challenges. In AD 1853, Prime Minister Paulino Soares de Sousa, Viscount of Uruguay, implemented an administrative reorganisation, creating the Province of Paraná from São Paulo. This facilitated large-scale agricultural expansion and population growth. Furthermore, Pedro II supported the system of alternating governance between the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party, which contributed to the empire’s political stability.

The 1850s marked a period of rapid expansion of Brazil’s coffee economy, with coffee surpassing sugarcane as the primary export commodity, particularly in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Minas Gerais. This economic boom spurred infrastructure improvements, including railways and ports. In AD 1854, Brazil inaugurated its first railway in Rio de Janeiro, enhancing connectivity between inland agricultural regions and coastal ports, thereby facilitating trade and economic development. Legislation passed around AD 1850, such as the Aberdeen Act (1845) and the Eusébio de Queirós Law (1850), sought to combat the transatlantic slave trade, significantly reducing the illegal importation of enslaved individuals. Consequently, the empire increasingly relied on indentured labourers, particularly European immigrants, to meet workforce demands.

In AD 1852, Brazil, in alliance with Argentina and Uruguay, defeated the dictator Juan Manuel de Rosas, consolidating Brazilian influence in the southern region of South America. In AD 1853, Brazil further intervened in Uruguayan affairs, aiming to maintain regional stability and protect its economic interests along the border.

During this period, the Empire of Brazil was politically stable, experiencing economic expansion and social reforms. Pedro II’s administration ensured Brazil’s position as the most stable and economically powerful nation in 19th-century South America, until his reign was ultimately ended by a republican coup. In AD 1889, republican officers arrested the prime minister and proclaimed the republic. Exhausted by years of governance, Pedro II declined all proposals to suppress the rebellion and chose to abdicate. However, the ensuing political instability and the rise of authoritarian regimes under the republic led many later historians and citizens to view Pedro II’s reign in an overwhelmingly positive light.

物件編號: A1686

年代: 公元 1853 年

材質: 銀 (917‰)

尺寸: 37.1 x 37.1 x 2.5 mm

重量: 25.4g

製造地: 里約熱內盧巴西鑄幣廠

來源: 大城郵幣社 2014

這是一枚於公元1853年，里約熱內盧巴西鑄幣廠鑄造，以巴西皇帝佩德羅二世之名發行的2,000里爾銀幣。

銀幣的正面為巴西帝國的國徽，中央為疊印的渾天儀與葡萄牙十字，此二者均為葡萄牙於大航海時代後，殖民帝國的常用圖樣，前者代表了海上探險與測繪，後者為主耶穌基督皇家軍事騎士團(Real Ordem Militar de Nosso Senhor Jesus Cristo)的符號，於航海家亨利王子使用後，成為了象徵葡萄牙海上力量的旗幟。渾天儀外圈環繞著19顆星，代表巴西的19個省份。整體由盾承托，形成盾徽。盾徽的外側由左側結有果實的咖啡樹枝，與右側開花的煙草一同環繞。盾徽上方的是巴西帝國皇冠，皇冠上方則環繞著拉丁格言「IN HOC SIGNO VINCES」，意為「憑此標誌，你將得勝」。出典自羅馬君士坦丁大帝，相傳他在戰前見到十字異象，並聽得此語，此後以十字☧為旗，果然在米爾維安大橋戰役大勝。而相傳首位葡萄牙國王，阿方索一世，也經歷了基督的顯現與啟示，從而在奧里基戰役中以寡擊眾，大勝穆斯林。

銀幣的背面則為面額「2000」，單位里爾。面額之外以葉冠環繞，從對生的葉片以及生長在葉腋部的小圓果實來看，應仍為咖啡樹枝葉。外圈環繞拉丁簡寫「PETRUS II.D.G.CONST.IMP.ET PERP.BRAS.DEF.」，即「Petrus Secundus Dei Gratia Constitutionalis Imperator Et Perpetuus Brasiliæ Defensor」，意為「佩德羅二世，蒙上帝及憲法恩典之皇帝，巴西永遠的捍衛者」。下方「1853」標示了發行年。

佩德羅二世(生卒年公元1825至1891年)是葡萄牙布拉干薩王朝，巴西帝國支脈的第二任、也是最後一任皇帝，於公元1831至1889年間在位。他在位期間，巴西經歷了政治穩定、經濟發展以及文化與科學的進步，並逐步朝向廢除奴隸制度的方向邁進。公元1850年代佩德羅二世已成年並鞏固了個人統治，他的政策致力於維護國家統一、發展基礎設施、推動教育與科學發展，同時應對外部與內部的政治挑戰。佩德羅二世支持兩大政黨——保守黨與自由黨之間的輪流執政制度，這種模式幫助帝國維持了政治的穩定。

公元1850年代是巴西咖啡經濟迅速增長的時期，咖啡已取代甘蔗成為主要出口商品，特別是在里約熱內盧、聖保羅和米納斯吉拉斯等地區，這帶動了基礎設施的改善，如鐵路與港口的建設。公元1854年，巴西的第一條鐵路在里約熱內盧啟用，加強了內陸農業區與沿海港口的聯繫，促進了商業流通與經濟增長。公元1850年前後通過的《艾伯丁法案》(Aberdeen Act, AD 1845)與《艾奧法案》(Eusébio de Queirós Law, AD 1850)開始打擊跨大西洋奴隸貿易，使非法奴隸進口大幅減少，這也促使帝國逐漸依賴契約勞工——特別是來自歐洲的移民——來填補勞動力需求。

公元1852年，巴西與阿根廷、烏拉圭聯手擊敗了獨裁者胡安·曼努埃爾·德·羅薩斯(Juan Manuel de Rosas)，確保了巴西在南美洲南部的影響力。公元1853年，巴西進一步介入烏拉圭內部事務，試圖維護區域穩定並保護巴西邊境的經濟利益。

此時期的巴西帝國政治穩定、經濟擴張，社會和平的推動變革，佩德羅二世的治理確保了巴西帝國的發展，使其成為19世紀南美洲最穩定且經濟實力最強的國家之一，直至佩德羅二世被共和派政變。公元1889年，共和派軍官逮捕總理，宣布建立共和國。由於長期勤於政務造成的倦怠，佩德羅二世拒絕所有平息叛亂的決議，決定退位。共和制的政治混亂與獨裁政權的建立，使得後世許多民眾與學者，對佩德羅二世的統治採高度的正面評價。