Numismatic Portuguese Museum

The Numismatic Portuguese Museum (in portuguese, Museu Numismático Português) was created in 1933 and, by the time, it became part of the Imprensa Nacional-Casa da Moeda¹. Pedro Batalha Reis was its first Director. Due to the logistics of changing the facilities of Casa da Moeda², from Rua de São Paulo³ to its present location, the museum only opened officially on May 28^th, 1946.

The seeds for the creation of a numismatic museum were cast long prior its creation. On the January 25^th, 1977, was issued an official Warning signed by the Marquês de Pombal⁴, decreeing that a collection of coins and medals made of different varieties of metals and from the whole world, should start to be raised.

The inexistence of self facilities for a permanent exhibition of the Numismatic Portuguese Museum conditions the access of the general public to one of the most beautiful collections gathered in Portugal. However, it's possible to visit the temporary exhibitions organized in the main lobby of the Casa da Moeda² building.

During these exhibitions, visitors may enjoy of part of these fantastic assets which count with about 9.500 medals and 35.000 coins that include the numismatic collection of Rei D. Carlos I⁵ since 1910, time when it was transferred to Casa da Moeda² due to the Implantação da República⁶. It may yet be found in the museum collection, plasters, money making machines, documents of the historical archive and matrices.

Translation references

1. National Press-Mint
2. Mint
3. São Paulo Street
4. Marquis of Pombal
5. King D. Carlos I
6. Establishment of the Republic