Daily entries from the 17th century London diary
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Cruzado, a Portuguese coin of 480 reis. It is named from a cross which it bears on one side, the arms of Portugal being on the other. It varied in value at different periods from 2s. 3d. to 4s.
Cruzado (Crusado)
Portugal introduced the cruzado coin in 1457 in the reign of Alfonso V. The gold being brought to Lisbon by caravels from the source in West Africa between the Senegal and Niger rivers. It came into its own in the reign of Manuel (1495-1521) who made a new coin with the same contents, but with the weight and value of 10 cruzados. With this and the discoveries it gained great worldwide potential.
Brazilian gold was discovered in the 1690
Here you can see a cruzado of 1710:
http://www.steinbergs.com/Portugal1710A45.jpg
Here’s a 16th-century one (top center):
http://www.jkerncoins.com/ads/Kern073001.html
And here’s Portugal’s Coins and Currency 1670-1730:
http://www.steinbergs.com/Portugal1710A45.jpg
