Two anniversaries on a single coin: the 2010 250 escudos of Cape Verde marks both 35 years of independence and 550 years since the islands were discovered. Between the dates «1460» and «1975» lies the whole story of the archipelago, from Portuguese caravels to a nation of its own.

The obverse is devoted to independence: the national arms beside the marble pillory, or pelourinho, of Cidade Velha, the legend «35 ANIVERSARIO DA INDEPENDANCIA NACIONAL» and the dates «1975» and «2010». The reverse shows a sailing ship above a stylised map of the islands, with «DESCOBERTA DE CABO VERDE», the dates «1460» and «2010» and «550 ANOS».

The choice of symbol is deliberate. Santiago island was discovered in 1460 by António da Noli, a Genoese navigator in Portuguese service, who in 1462 founded Ribeira Grande, today’s Cidade Velha and the first European colonial settlement in the tropics. The pelourinho, erected between 1512 and 1520, recalls the town’s darkest chapter: rebellious slaves were publicly punished at its foot. Cidade Velha became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009.

The coin was issued as a circulating commemorative: the 250 escudos denomination appeared only for anniversaries, and in its line the coin follows the 1976 independence issue and precedes the commemorative 250 escudos of 2013 and 2015. Its subject makes it welcome in several collections at once, from the Age of Discovery to ships and UNESCO sites.

Graded UNC: the coin has never circulated, shows no wear and keeps its mint lustre, with only minor handling marks possible. Fine details such as the ship’s rigging and the outline of the islands remain fully visible.

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