Macau Coinage 澳門錢幣

Demand and Supply

The Macao Coinage

There is one thing that I have never understood, it is "Demand and Supply". This morning, I passed through a coin shop in Central District and just browsing through a display. I came across a Macao 1952 1 Pataca coin in extremely fine condition. Its listed price is HK$500 (US$64). But the price guide suggested in the "Standard Catalog of World Coins" is US$4 only. The price in Hong Kong is crazy, this has never concerned me since I have started collecting coins, and that is, I would not buy those listed with unreasonable price coins. I bought a copy of the same coin for HK$2 in Shamshuipo a few years ago, of course, the grading is not the same. Sure it's nice if a coin is eventually worth more than you paid for it. If you like the way a coin looks, the price seems nothing. But, HK$500 for a Macao 1952 1 Pataca coin, however it is not a reasonable price for us. [Recently, (June 1999) when I passed through the coin shop again, the Macao 1952 1 Pataca coin is still there, but the price has reduced to HK$250. Although Macao will follow Hong Kong reverting to China sovereignty a few months later.]

I post below is the brief history and some specimens of the Macao coinage, I hope you will pay more attention to the mintage of the coins, especially the bronze 5 avos 1952 and the silver 5 patacas 1971 coin.

I received a very important e-mail from Mr. Richard Schmidt last night. [20 Oct 97]

I took your address off your Chinese Numismatics home page (which I find very interesting). I wonder if I could ask you a question regarding a Macau coin that appears in the Macau Currency book (Ma Takyou, 1987) but I have not been able to find.
Was the 1976 1 Pataca (C45) coin ever issued?
(The mintage of 130,000 is very low, but you didn't include it in your list of coins to "pay attention to".)
Thank you in advance,

Richard Schmidt

[Thanks indeed to Mr. Richard Schmidt for his e-mail to me. I am surprised too. I think I overlook it. I don't know whether the 1976 1 Pataca coin was issued or not. And it is strange that the 1976 1 Patace coin does not appear on the Standard catalog of World Coins, but the Macau coinage book mention it on page 61. I will contact Mr. Ma Tak Wo, author of the coinage book "CURRENCY OF MACAU".] Y.K.L.

About the issuing of the 1976 1 Pataca coin, I get the answer is "Yes, the Portuguese Government of Macau had issued 1 Pataca coin in 1976. ", from Mr. Ma Tak Wo.
From this, we know that Macau 1976 1 Pataca coin is a rare coin. Mr. Ma got the informations from the Portuguese Government of Macau and the Banco Nacional Ultramarino (BNU).
Recently, I found that according to the Authorised Decree No. 94/74, the Portuguese Government of Macau has issued Pattern coin only for the 1 Pataca coin of 1976.
Thanks indeed to Mr. Ma Tak Wo and Mr. Richard Schmidt Y.K.L.

Macao, located in the south China coast, 56 kilometres southwest of Hong Kong, has been the colony of Portugal since 1887 as the signing of the Sino-Portuguese Treaty by the Qing government. Macao is a small peninsula of occupying a total area of 16.9 sq. kilometres (including the islands of Taipa and Coloane). The population of Macao is estimated at approximately 368,000 with about 95% of Chinese.

Hong Kong became a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China on 1 July 1997. According to the agreement of Portugal and China in 1987, Macao will follow Hong Kong reverting to China sovereignty in 1999.
The coinage of Macao started late until 1952. The first issued mintage might be too large for the small market demand of Macao. The 2nd issue had postponed until 1967. Her coinage consisted of bronze 5 and 10 avos, cupro-nickel 50 avos and silver 1 and 5 patacas, with a history of only 45 years since 1952. [Monetary system : 100 Avos = 1 Pataca]

Marks of Rareness of the Collected Currencies
Extremely Rare A ~ Very Rare B ~ Rare C ~ Not So Many D ~ Common E

Obverse	Reverse	Description
		No. 092
		Mintage 500,000
		Diam. 17 mm
		Wt. 2 g.
Mint Evolution and Peculiarity		Rareness D
On the obverse of this coin are two Chinese characters in Li Shu [in scribe style and means 5 cent] in the centre, above and below two rosettes within a linear circle. There are Portuguese characters REPUBLICA PORTUGUESA in upper outer circle, and 5 AVOS in lower outer circle. On the reverse of this coin, an armorial bearings of Macau in centre, above Portuguese (MACAU). below 1952, right and left two Chinese characters (means macao) and two small stars above and below. There is one very important thing I want to point out, all coins issued for Macao prior to 1982 were withdrawn from circulation by the end of June 1983 and are, therefore no longer legal tender. For many years, I have regarded this coin as "not so many" coin. But no body care it. May be you have collected coins for more than ten years in Hong Kong, but do you keep one copy of this coin? Now it is the last chance to buy one with cheap price. I found that the listed price of this coin is HK$5 in the coin shop this morning, but out of supply. When I compare the mintage of this coin with the 1952 1 Pataca coin, I find that the Hong Kong coin collecting circle is crazy.
Obverse	Reverse	Description
		No. 093
		Mintage 12,500,000
		Diam. 22 mm
		Wt. 4 g.
Mint Evolution and Peculiarity		Rareness E
The inscriptions bearing on the both side of this coin are the same as the 5 Avos coin, except the denomination is 10 Avos in Portuguese and 10 cent in Chinese. This coin as other earlier Macao coins was minted by Casa da Moeda of Lisbon.
Obverse	Reverse	Description
		No. 094
		Mintage 9,000,000
		Diam. 23.6 mm
		Wt. 5.9 g.
Mint Evolution and Peculiarity		Rareness E
This coin was made with copper-nickel, though it looks like silver. On the obverse side of this coin is a coat of arms of Portugal overlaying a cross, Portuguese characters REPUBLICA PORTUGUESA in upper and 1952 in lower of the cross. On the reverse of this coin, an armorial bearings of Macau in centre, above Portuguese (MACAU), below 50 AVOS, right and left four Chinese characters (means macao and 50 cent) and two small stars above and below.
Obverse	Reverse	Description
		No. 095
		Mintage 4,500,000
		Fineness 0.72 silver
		Diam. 19 mm
		Wt. 3.0 g.
Mint Evolution and Peculiarity		Rareness E
This coin is popularly known as "Pai Ko Tzu" [white young pigeon] by the Chinese in Macao. Because it is beautiful and lovely in small size. The inscriptions bearing on the both side of this coin are the same as the 50 Avos coin, except the denomination is 1 Pataca in Portuguese and 1 dollar in Chinese scripts. If a Macao 1952 1 Pataca coin in extremely fine condition worth HK$500, this coin at less worth HK$50. But I spent HK$2 to get it a few years ago.
Obverse	Reverse	Description
		No. 096
		Mintage 900,000
		Fineness 0.72 silver
		Diam. 31.4 mm
		Wt. 15 g.
Mint Evolution and Peculiarity		Rareness E
The inscriptions bearing on the both side of this coin are the same as the 50 Avos coin, except the denomination is 5 Patacas in Portuguese and 5 dollars in Chinese scripts. This coin is worth HK$80 I have seen this morning in the price guide of a coin shop.
Obverse	Reverse	Description
		No. 097
		Mintage 500,000
		Fineness 0.65 silver
		Diam. 30 mm
		Wt. 10 g.
Mint Evolution and Peculiarity		Rareness D
This is another 5 Patacas coin issued in 1971. The mintage of this coin is small too. The listed price in the coin shop is HK$80 now.
Obverse	Reverse	Description
		No. 098
		Mintage 1.000,000
		Fineness 0.65 silver
		Diam. 35 mm
		Wt. 18 g.
Mint Evolution and Peculiarity		Rareness E
This silver 20 pataca coin was struck by the Macao government to commemorate the opening of the Macao Taipa Bridge in 1974. This is the only 20 pataca silver coin issued for general circulation. On the obverse of this coin is the scene of Macao-Taipa Bridge, and a Chinese junk is just passing through the bridge in the center circle. In upper outer circle characters "REPUBLICA PORTUGUESA" and characters "PONTE MACAU-TAIPA 1974" in lower outer circle. The inscriptions bearing on the reverse of this coin are the same as the 50 Avos coin, except the denomination is 20 Patacas in Portuguese and 20 dollars in Chinese scripts. The price listed in the coin shop is HK$120 as I know.