Farthing's Portugal Carlos I Type Set
500 REIS 1898 DISCOVERY OF INDIA MS

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Issued to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the discovery of the sea route to India by Vasco de Gama. Sponsored by King Manuel I of Portugal, Vasco de Gama set sail on July 8, 1497 with 3 ships + a supply ship.
Rounding Cape of Good Hope and after stops along the eastern coast of Africa, the ships reached India on May 17, 1798. The first ship returned to Portugal on 12 July, 1799. Vasco de Gama returned home on 31 August 1799.
Obverse: conjoined busts of King Carlos I of Portugal and his wife Queen Amelia of Orleans. Reverse: a Maltese cross with rosettes in the angles, the dates 1498 - 1898 below.
12.5000g of .917 silver for .3684 ASW