Portugal, Republic, Age of the Portuguese discoveries series, Nuno Tristão commemorative, Lisbon mint, engravers: Isabel Carriço and Fernando Branco, 1987 AD.,
100 Escudos (ø 34 mm / 16,39 g), copper-nickel (Cu 0.75, Ni 0.25), 16,50 g. theor. mint weight, mintage 1.000.000 , axes coin alignment ↑↓ (180°), reeded edge,
Obv.: NVNO TRISTÃO - RIO/GÂMBIA/1446 / ISABEL · F. BRANCO / 1987 / {incm} , coastal scene with old Portuguese ship at Rio Gambia / western Africa.
Rev.: REPUBLICA PORTUGUESA / 100 ESCUDOS , legend and value surrounding Portuguese shield of arms within circle.
KM 640 .
Year / Mint Mark / Mintage
1987 / {incm} / 1.000.000 KM 640
1987 / {incm} / 50.000 (16,5 g. 0.925 silver) KM 640a
1987 / {incm} / 20.000 (proof, 16,5 g. 0.925 silver) KM 640a
Nuno Tristão was a 15th-century Portuguese explorer and slave trader, active in the early 1440s, traditionally thought to be the first European to reach the region of Guinea (legendarily, as far as Guinea-Bissau, but more recent historians believe he did not go beyond the Gambia River).
Nuno Tristão was a knight of the household of Henry the Navigator. In 1446 (or perhaps 1445 or 1447, date uncertain), Nuno Tristão set out on his fourth (and final) trip down the West African coast. Somewhere south of Cap Vert, Tristão came across the mouth of a large river. Tristão took 22 sailors with him on a launch upriver, to search for a settlement to raid. But the launch was ambushed by thirteen native canoes with some 80 armed men. Quickly surrounded, Nuno Tristão, along with most of his crew, was killed on the spot by poisioned arrows (two might have escaped).
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