Portuguese 100 Reis coin, John IV, Castine, ca. 1649

Contributed by Maine Historical Society

Portuguese 100 Reis coin, John IV, Castine, ca. 1649

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Description

Present day Castine was a contested area of overlapping Wabanaki, English and French claims for centuries. In 1674, during a period of French control, Dutch privateers attacked the fort and took the Baron of Saint-Castin (Jean Vincent d’Abbadie) and others hostage for ransom. When Saint-Castin returned to Castine in 1677, he established a trading post among Wabanakis on the Bagaduce River, about six miles from the old fort.

In 1684 Chief Madockawando’s daughter, Pidianiske (baptized as Molly Mathilde), married Saint-Castin and solidified the alliance between the French and Penobscot. Family ties and reciprocal relations gave Saint-Castin a stronger footing among Wabanaki people than the English settlers and traders encroaching up the coast.

In 1840, this Portuguese 100 Reis coin was part of a cache of coins found by the Grindle family on their farm. It’s possible that some of these coins were secret stash from Saint-Castin’s trading post.

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About This Item

  • Title: Portuguese 100 Reis coin, John IV, Castine, ca. 1649
  • Creation Date: circa 1649
  • Subject Date: circa 1649
  • Location: Castine, Hancock County, ME
  • Media: Silver
  • Local Code: A00-52-03
  • Object Type: Physical Object

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For more information about this item, contact:

Maine Historical Society
485 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101
(207) 774-1822 x230
Website

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