The Use of Seated Imagery in Numismatics
Europe

Owner Comments:

20E 1953 FINANCIAL REFORM:

This coin commemorates the 25th anniversary of Portuguese financial reform started in 1928 by Minister of Finance Antonio Salazar. His reforms led to decreased unemployment and the lowering of Portugal’s national debt. This in turn led to a robust national economy and shaped the financial stability and progress of Portugal for forty years.

To commemorate this event, the government of Portugal utilizing Roman imagery issued a coin in 1953 featuring the goddess of money, Juno Moneta. Simple in its design, this coin portrays Juno Moneta in a seated position auditing the financial ledgers of Portugal. The reverse of this coin includes Portugal’s coat of arms with an armillary sphere. The purpose of an armillary sphere is to calculate the position of astronomical objects thus making it useful as a navigational aid.

There is yet another piece of interesting numismatic history that involves the goddess of money, Juno Moneta. Around 344 BC The Romans built a temple to Juno Moneta in Rome. Since the Romans also believed that Juno Moneta was the protectress of funds, her temple became the site of the first Roman Mint. In fact, the term Moneta came to mean “mint” in Latin. In addition to coining operations, Juno Moneta’s temple served as the site where magistrates deposited their books (The first bank?).