My article Brazilian Gold Bars was written before 1990,
but its publication was delayed until 1996
2. In the
meantime, new studies on the gold bars were released,
which justify revising a few items. At that time, a list
of all existing genuine bars was not complete, but we
are now in a position to reproduce it.
A little more than 200 genuine bars survive today,
which explains the reason of their extreme rarity.
Besides their beauty, the fact that they were used as
money adds numismatic value. Each bar, when handed
to its owner, was accompanied by a certificate (guia),
where were inscribed the quantities of gold brought to
the smelting house, the percentage taken by the
Portuguese crown, the weight of the bar, its fineness
and the name of the owner. Its circulating value in réis
was then written on the upper right corner of the paper.
As stated in my article, Kurt Prober is the principal
researcher who studied these bars and in 1990 he
published a new study on the subject
3. In 1997,
Sotheby’s issued a catalogue to sell 38 of these bars,
which was a feat in itself, considering that this
repre-sented about 18% of all existing bars
4. This lavish
catalogue included photos and actual weight of each
bar, enabling to complete their perfect identification;
the sale was canceled for unknown reasons, but all the
bars reappeared in an article by a Portuguese collector
in the First Luso-Brasileiro Congress in 1999
5.
An interesting and unique bar is the model in copper,
dated 1730, sent to their colony Brazil by the
Portuguese authorities, to serve as a reference to the
smelting houses: weighing 1.122 grams and
measu-ring 450 millimeters, it contains all the details and the
royal seal which were to be observed. It is today kept
in the Casa da Moeda in Rio de Janeiro.
From 1601 until 1833 when the last one was closed,
twenty smelting houses were opened; however the only
bars known today come from only eight of them:
SABARÁ 84 bars, MATO GROSSO: 21, GOIÁS: 29,
VILA RICA: 40, RIO DAS MORTES: 7, I.MPERIAL
CIDADE DO OURO PRETO ( EX Vila Rica since
1823): 1, SERRO FRIO: 21, and CUYABÁ: 9. Total:
212 bars. The list hereunder is based on Prober’s book
with a few additions from other sources. As organized
by Prober, the bars are listed under odd numbers,
lea-ving even numbers for future bars still to discover.
Then, of course, we have the counterfeits. 80 have been
identified: 45 Sabará, 18 Rio das Mortes, 9 Serro Frio
and 8 Vila Rica. How are they identified? Main signals:
general aspect of the workmanship, small errors in the
design of the Royal Arms, wrong use of Royal Arms
which changed according to the Portuguese rulers, and
wrong use of the assayers initials; pedigrees also help to
detect these counterfeits.
49 bars are in museums, 17 were stolen, one from
pri-vate hands, the others from the Museu Histórico Nacional,
in a robbery in July 1937 ( 17 were stolen and only
one recuperated); probably those stolen bars were
melted. The rest of the 146 bars are today,
presu-mably, in private hands, and thus, potentially on the
market sooner or later.
Revising brazilian gold bars
1. Sociedade Numismática Brasileira, São Paulo, Brasil. Died in São Paulo, 20-11-2003.
2. Costilhes, A.: Brazilian Gold Bars, in Italiam fato profugi -Numismatic
Studies Dedicated to Vladimir and Elvira Clain-Stefanell. Louvain-la Neuve, 1996, pp. 97-108.
3. Prober, K.: Ouro em Pó e em Barras - Meio Circulante no Brasil -
1754-1833( plus catalogue). Paquetá, 1990.
4. Brazilian Gold Currency Bars. Sotheby’s, London, Friday 30 May 1997.
5. Marques da Costa, C.: As Barras de Ouro do Brasil - Sua Ordenação em Catálogo, in I Congresso Luso-Brasileiro de Numismática,
Number
Prober Smelting House Date Number Bar Weight Actual Theoretical Weight M: Museum P: Private
007 009 011 015 017 019 021 023 025 027 029 031 033 035 037 041 043 045 047 049 051 053 055 057 059 061 063 065 067 069 071 073 075 077 079 081 083 085 087 089 090 091 093 095 097 099 101 103 105 107 109 Sabará Mato Grosso Goyaz Sabará Sabará Rio das Mortes Vila Rica Vila Rica Vila Rica Rio das Mortes Sabará Vila Rica Rio das Mortes Sabará Vila Rica Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Vila Rica Sabará Sabará Sabará Vila Rica Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Serro Frio Serro Frio Vila Rica Vila Rica Vila Rica Sabará Sabará Sabará Serro Frio Serro Frio Vila Rica Vila Rica Vila Rica Goyaz Matto Grosso Sabará Serro Frio 1778 1784 1790 1792 1794 1796 1796 1796 1799 1800 1801 1802 1804 1804 1804 1805 1806 1807 1807 1807 1808 1808 1808 1808 1809 1809 1809 1809 1809 1809 1809 1809 1809 1809 1809 1809 1809 1809 1809 1810 1810 1810 1810 1810 1810 1810 1810 1811 1811 1811 1811 2111 699 953 1532 200 1149 208 3052 3265 2743 1752 2001 1324 1425 1532 301 2951 2778 3125 1908 530 949 2732 93 92 2842 3251 3558 3711 3757 5246 5698 6397 6400 86 4299 2977 3413 3826 634 1463 5756 415 983 2358 2642 2980 108 588 249 770 217.00 - 471.50 149.30 - 105.69 57.90 161.90 99.00 85.38 62.40 96.45 82.35 73.63 119.30 130.00 64.91 98.31 69.56 53.70 86.38 69.81 131.62 53.31 53.50 18.30 67.00 22.00 57.90 - 25.30 37.10 - 50.99 109.77 89.20 - 53.70 110.00 41.20 22.37 27.60 22.45 122.69 24.40 - 81.63 327.92 570.30 - 70.55 212.07 114.65 471.55 149.68 54.98 105.68 57.77 161.96 99.21 85.76 62.46 96.52 82.47 74.08 119.63 130.29 65.44 98.32 69.62 53.49 88.15 70.22 131.78 53.40 53.49 20.32 66.94 22.11 57.97 35.85 25.10 37.20 43.63 51.38 109.87 89.55 23.31 53.79 115.15 42.14 23.31 27.79 22.51 123.51 24.51 21.71 81.68 328.11 571.30 73.71 70.52 M: Sabará M: MHN P M: ANS P P P P M: BCB P M: MHN M: S.I. P P M: MHN P P P P P P P P P M: BCB M: BCB P M: MHN M: BCB P M: BCB M: MAS P P P ? Stolen from MHN P P M: BEB P P M: ANS P P P P P P P P P
Number
Prober Smelting House Date Number Bar Weight Actual Theoretical Weight M: Museum P: Private
111 113 115 117 119 121 123 125 127 129 131 133 135 137 139 141 143 145 146 147 149 151 153 155 157 159 161 163 165 167 169 171 173 175 177 179 181 183 185 187 189 191 193 195 197 199 201 203 205 207 209 211 213 215 217 219 221 Serro Frio Vila Rica Vila Rica Vila Rica Vila Rica Mato Grosso Mato Grosso Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Serro Frio Vila Rica Vila Rica Goyaz Goyaz Mato Grosso Mato Grosso Mato Grosso Mato Grosso Mato Grosso Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Serro Frio Vila Rica Goias Goias Goias Goias Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Serro Frio Vila Rica Vila Rica Vila Rica Vila Rica Mato Grosso Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará 1811 1811 1811 1811 1811 1812 1812 1812 1812 1812 1812 1812 1812 1812 1812 1812 1813 1813 1813 1813 1813 1813 1813 1813 1813 1813 1813 1813 1813 1813 1813 1813 1813 1813 1814 1814 1814 1814 1814 1814 1814 1814 1814 1814 1814 1814 1814 1814 1814 1814 1814 1814 1815 1815 1815 1815 1815 772 121 998 2557 3164 154 754 79 317 1022 2388 2776 3515 365 531 2249 327 551 104 153 443 1053 1382 347 1426 1448 1752 1807 1916 2872 3523 3588 856 2723 136 181 292 920 174 1019 1177 1609 1672 1953 2033 2746 2885 166 1290 1413 1514 2297 241 39 386 678 1876 - 37.80 - - 21.00 305.00 611.90 - 26.05 19.10 110.30 25.00 23.70 59.00 - - 292.60 136.35 1,386.50 560.30 138.90 - 459.00 23.30 43.30 - - - 23.03 30.20 - 21.93 28.50 - - 53.20 111.17 44.23 29.27 27.45 27.22 36.30 25.06 47.60 - 21.88 - 114.87 - - 103.96 217.90 1,387.00 127.30 19.40 27.50 - - 37.74 44.34 110.12 21.20 307.09 612.83 90.24 26.29 19.43 112.27 25.10 23.91 58.62 80.68 21.32 294.46 136.89 1,387.99 561.20 141.15 358.69 459.24 23.61 43.60 25.66 22.11 21.22 23.61 30.78 29.85 22.38 28.68 26.10 53.78 53.49 112.08 44.37 29.28 27.46 26.30 36.16 25.10 47.81 53.78 21.81 30.78 114.84 - 31.76 105.19 219.34 1,384.52 127.30 20.62 27.19 25.70 ? P M: UBP P P M: MP USP M: BCB P M: MHN M: BCB ? Stolen from MHN P P M: BEB ?: Stolen from MHN P M: S.I. P P M: BCB M: BCB ?: Stolen from P P ?: Stolen from MHN P P P P P P P P ? Stolen from MHN P P P P P ? Stolen from MHN P ? Stolen from MHN P P ? Stolen from MHN P P P M: S.I. P P P M: ANS ?: Stolen from MHN M: BCB P P P
Number
Prober Smelting House Date Number Bar Weight Actual Theoretical Weight M: Museum P: Private
223 225 227 229 231 233 235 237 239 241 243 245 247 249 251 253 255 257 259 261 263 265 267 268 269 271 273 275 277 279 281 283 285 287 289 291 293 295 297 299 301 303 305 307 311 313 315 317 319 321 323 325 327 329 330 331 333 335 Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Vila Rica Vila Rica Vila Rica Vila Rica Vila Rica Vila Rica Goias Mato Grosso Mato Grosso Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Serro Frio Vila Rica Vila Rica Vila Rica Vila Rica Goias Goias Mato Grosso Mato Grosso Rio das Mortes Rio das Mortes Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Vila Rica Mato Grosso Mato Grosso Mato Grosso Rio das Mortes Rio das Mortes Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Sabará Serro Frio Serro Frio Serro Frio Vila Rica Vila Rica Vila Rica Vila Rica Vila Rica 1815 1815 1815 1815 1815 1815 1815 1815 1815 1815 1816 1816 1816 1816 1816 1816 1816 1816 1816 1816 1816 1817 1817 1817 1817 1817 1817 1817 1817 1817 1817 1817 1817 1817 1817 1817 1817 1817 1818 1818 1818 1818 1818 1818 1818 1818 1818 1818 1818 1818 1818 1818 1818 1818 1818 1818 1818 1818 2019 2135 2423 3074 167 1069 1470 2012 2135 2176 799 659 673 1635 2050 3032 2148 218 704 736 776 1398 608 761 196 679 41 424 146 687 1265 1392 1433 1552 1883 2267 2311 997 188 352 658 202 529 280 896 965 990 1098 1682 1933 37 239 359 173 536 641 661 729 20.91 23.00 - 102.90 85.05 24.89 - - 20.20 - 273.00 1,538.90 1,119.00 50.17 53.00 - 21.48 60.66 20.92 - 27.16 - - - 217.24 80.07 21.59 32.90 36.40 23.28 24.00 28.60 26.30 - 22.90 27.10 48.35 1,672.60 - 141.79 229.00 60.94 43.78 - 25.50 - - 26.97 33.54 298.09 22.88 192.52 114.40 - 26.33 54.00 - 250.00 20.92 23.01 75.90 103.36 85.46 25.10 119.23 52.79 20.32 37.45 273.62 1,533.87 1,118.80 50.50 53.16 21.51 21.51 60.17 21.12 23.81 27.18 37.35 374.03 42.44 218.34 80.31 21.71 33.31 36.44 23.31 24.31 28.60 26.30 20.92 23.01 27.20 48.11 1,674.63 139.95 141.94 229.30 60.96 43.92 20.32 25.40 21.22 21.81 27.20 33.77 296.98 22.91 192.45 115.34 191.84 26.50 53.99 36.45 249.42 P P P P P P P P M: BCB P ? Stolen from MHN M: Sabará P P M: Sabará P M: Sabará P P P P P P P P P M: S.I. M: BCB P P P P P P M: BCB M: BCB M: Sabará P P M: MHN ?: Stolen from MHN P P M: MAS P P P M: S.I. P P P ?: Stolen from MHN P P P P P
Number
Prober Smelting House Date Number Bar Weight Actual Theoretical Weight M: Museum P: Private
337 339 341 343 345 347 349 351 353 355 357 359 361 363 365 367 369 371 373 375 377 379 383 385 387 389 391 393 395 397 399 401 403 405 407 409 411 413 415 417 419 421 423 425 427 Goias Mato Grosso Sabará Sabará Goias Goias Mato Grosso Mato Grosso Mato Grosso Serro Frio Cuyabá Cuyabá Cuyabá Cuyabá Cuyabá Cuyabá Cuyabá Goias Goias Goias Goias Goias Goias Goias Goias Goias Cuiabá Cuiabá Goias Goias Goias Goias Goias Goias Sabará Ouro Preto Serro Frio Serro Frio Serro Frio Serro Frio Sabará Serro Frio Serro Frio Serro Frio Sabará 1819 1819 1819 1819 1820 1820 1820 1820 1820 1820 1821 1821 1821 1821 1821 1821 1821 1821 1821 1821 1821 1821 1821 1821 1821 1821 1822 1822 1822 1822 1822 1822 1822 1823 1828 1828 1829 1830 1831 1831 1832 1832 1832 1832 1833 27 102 216 267 31 387 124 255 456 20 157 167 233 328 545 799 817 4 194 281 390 517 587 596 616 618 111 137 41 152 229 233 268 172 130 262 76 25 28 31 105 4 114 115 56 230.00 182.00 37.72 197.80 174.00 32.26 221.40 111.06 139.25 32.45 153.29 264.00 187.80 47.79 195.05 20.18 - 74.53 345.94 - 124.20 70.00 54.84 - 27.80 83.22 114.10 101.00 27.65 82.51 134.50 218.55 27.70 26.90 147.20 186.78 49.49 167.50 - - 62.10 103.77 40.30 36.70 90.40 230.69 181.54 37.36 197.81 175.51 32.42 222.78 111.16 139.33 32.37 154.19 264.56 187.81 47.81 196.33 20.92 114.66 75.30 347.24 27.04 125.46 70.38 55.44 40.92 28.10 84.17 114.61 101.45 27.94 83.07 136.76 221.28 27.94 26.99 148.78 186.77 49.41 167.69 83.67 55.08 64.24 103.70 39.74 36.55 90.52 P ?: Stolen from MHN P P P P M: BCB P P P P ?: Stolen from MHN P P P P P P P M: MHN M: MAS M: M.P. USP P P M: BCB P M: BCB P ?: Stolen from MHN P ?: Stolen from MHN P P P M: MHN P P M: ANS P P M: MHN P P P P
