418, Lot: 597. Estimate $100. Sold for $60. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

PORTUGAL, Third Republic. 1974-pres. Æ Medal (74x91mm, 278.8 g, 12h). Os Lusiadas. By Humberto J. Mendes. Dated 1817, struck 1980. Femaile figure rising frmo sea with flowing garments; to right, Triton blowing conch, several mermaids around; to right, three ships / OS/ LUSIADS/ POMEA EPICO/ DE LUIS DE CAMÕENS/ NOVA EDIÇÃO CORRECTA, E DADA Á LUZ/ Por Dom Ioze Maria de SOUZA-BOTELHO,/ Morgado de Matteus, Socio de Academia Real das Sciencias de Lisboa/ (cross sword and scepter within wreath)/ NA OFFICINA TYPOGRAPHICA DE FIRMIN DIDOT,/ IMPRESSOR DO REI, E DO INSTITUTO/ M DCCC XVII. Edge: 336-350. EF.

Collector’s note: “Issued in honor of Luis Vaz de Camoëns (1524/25 - 1580), who was Portugal’s great national poet and author of the epic poem Os Lusíadas (1572; The Lusiads) which describes Vasco da Gama’s discovery of the sea route to India.”.