A coin with a surprising nickname
Before Portugal used euro cash, the escudo was part of everyday life. Among its smaller denominations, the 2.50 escudos coin carries an especially memorable nickname: cinco coroas, meaning “five crowns”. The name links a twentieth-century coin to older habits of counting money. On a pair of Portuguese coin cufflinks, that small detail can spark a much bigger conversation about family, travel and history.
What was the Portuguese escudo?
Portugal adopted the escudo in 1911, replacing the real after the country became a republic. Each escudo was divided into 100 centavos. The word escudo means “shield”, echoing the heraldic motifs found on Portuguese money. The currency accompanied generations. Its notes and coins were familiar objects in wallets and tills long before the single European currency arrived. Today, those pieces of currency offer a way to revisit ordinary Portuguese life.
Why was it called cinco coroas?
The nickname has a neat bit of arithmetic behind it. Coroa was a popular name for a 50-centavos coin; five of those amounts made 2.50 escudos. So a coin officially denominated two escudos and fifty centavos could be called cinco coroas in everyday speech. Different issues of the 2.50 escudos coin existed, and numismatic catalogues record a caravel on the mid-twentieth-century design. That sailing ship evokes Portugal’s maritime heritage, but the date and specific design of any individual coin should always be checked before identifying an issue.
When escudos gave way to euros
On 1 January 2002, Portugal began using euro notes and coins. Escudos briefly remained legal tender alongside euros, before the euro became the sole legal-tender cash currency on 1 March. The conversion rate was fixed at 200.482 escudos per euro. Suddenly, familiar denominations and expressions such as cinco coroas belonged to an earlier era. The old money was no longer used for purchases, but the coins retained stories about Portuguese design, language and daily habits. The European Central Bank’s account of the 2002 changeover explains this transition.
A gift with a connection to Portugal
Portuguese escudo cufflinks offer a subtle nod to family roots, years lived abroad or a favourite travel destination. They can work as wedding cufflinks, an anniversary present, a retirement gift or a birthday surprise for someone proud of Portuguese heritage. Unlike a generic souvenir, a genuine coin comes with details to discover: its denomination, imagery and place in the transition from escudos to euros. The gift can become a conversation starter at occasions where family stories are shared.
Explore Portuguese coin cufflinks
At World Coin Cufflinks, we make cufflinks using real coins, allowing their original designs to become part of the finished accessory. See our Portuguese escudo coin cufflinks or explore the Portugal coin cufflinks collection. For another occasion-based idea, read about the wedding sixpence tradition. A small piece of former pocket change can carry a surprisingly personal connection to a place.