Collector coin – ‘The Sea’ under the project ‘Design the coin’

Banco de Portugal will put a cupronickel-alloy collector coin into circulation from 27 March 2019, with face value of €5, called ‘The Sea’. 

The coin will be distributed to the public through credit institutions and Banco de Portugal's cash offices.

‘The Sea’ coin is only legal tender in Portugal and has the following features:

On the obverse: 

• At the top, a representation of the sea;
• In the middle, the Portuguese coat of arms;
• On the left, a raft containing the face value, depicting its arrival in our country;
• On the right, the year ‘2019’ inside a sign held by three persons, welcoming refugees;
• At the bottom, the word ‘Portugal’.

On the reverse: 

• At the top, the words ‘O Mar’;
• In the middle, a raft with many people on board, fleeing their countries in search for peace, in the middle of the sea;
• At the bottom, the word ‘Salva’;
• Around the lower edge, the word ‘INCM’ and the name of the author.

The characteristics of this coin were approved by Executive Order No 15/2019, published in the Official Gazette, Series I – No 10 of 15 January. 

The issue limit was set at 40,000 coins with normal finish.

‘The Sea’ coin was designed by Ísis Martins, a student at Escola Básica João Afonso, who won the ‘Design the coin’ competition, sponsored by the Portuguese Mint and Official Printing Office in partnership with the municipality of Aveiro.