LOT: Collection of 25 Portuguese Commemorative 100 & 200 Escudos Coins (Cupro-Nickel) Country: Portugal (Republic) Denominations: 100 Escudos and 200 Escudos Composition: Cupro-Nickel (CuNi) Era/Dates: Circa 1987–1999 Theme: Primarily The Portuguese Discoveries (Nautical routes, explorers, international encounters, and literary/scientific figures). Overall Condition: Uniformly Extremely Fine (XF) to Brilliant Uncirculated (BU). The lot shows exceptional preservation, displaying full original mint luster, crisp strikes, clean fields, and virtually no heavy circulation wear. Individual Coin Insights & Highlights: 1. 100 Escudos – Gil Eanes & Cabo Bojador (1987) Where to spot it: Row 1, coins 3 & 4 (showing the caravel pushing past a stylized wall of waves). Insight: This coin commemorates Gil Eanes' historic rounding of Cape Bojador in 1434, a monumental psychological and physical barrier in early navigation. The design dramatically captures a caravel tackling treacherous seas. 2. 200 Escudos – Tanegashima & Japan Encounter (1993) Where to spot it: Row 3, coins 2 & 3 (featuring a traditional Japanese matchlock gun, a horse rider, and a Portuguese nau). Insight: One of the most sought-after thematic designs in the series. It commemorates the arrival of the Portuguese in Tanegashima, Japan, in 1543. The coin wonderfully juxtaposes western sailing ships with traditional Japanese style art elements, celebrating the introduction of firearms to Japan. 3. 200 Escudos – Malacca / Melaka & Afonso de Albuquerque (1995) Where to spot it: Row 4, coins 1 & 2 (showing Afonso de Albuquerque holding a baton with a caravel anchored near the fortress). Insight: Marking the 1511 conquest of Malacca, this coin features a bold portrait of the legendary military commander and Viceroy, Afonso de Albuquerque. It represents a vital geopolitical chokepoint in the old Portuguese spice route. 4. 200 Escudos – Namban Art (1993) Where to spot it: Row 4, coins 3 & 4 (illustrating a Nanban folding screen art style with a long-nosed Portuguese trader and Japanese characters). Insight: Highly prized for its artistic flair, this coin mimics the traditional Japanese Namban ("Southern Barbarian") art screens, which documented the arrival, clothing, and distinct features of European merchants in Japanese harbors. 5. 200 Escudos – XXV Olympic Games Barcelona (1992) Where to spot it: Row 5, coins 3 & 4 (depicting a dynamic, abstract cyclist). Insight: A break from the maritime theme, this coin celebrates the 1992 Summer Olympic Games. The avant-garde, flowing lines representing a racing cyclist display the excellent contemporary medal engraving ability of the Lisbon Mint during the 1990s. LOTID# 2