Moidore
OriginPortugal
First Minted1640
MaterialGold
TypeCoin
About Moidore
A Portuguese gold coin that circulated widely in Britain and its American colonies. Worth about 27 shillings in colonial America. The name comes from moeda de ouro meaning coin of gold. Brazilian gold made Portugal wealthy, and moidores flooded into England in payment for manufactured goods. So many reached Britain that they were commonly used alongside official coinage. Often counterstamped with local merchant marks.
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