The coins of King Henrique I, known as “the Cardinal‑King”, belong to one of the shortest and rarest periods of Portuguese numismatics. Born in 1512, son of King Manuel I, he followed an ecclesiastical career and became inquisitor‑general before ascending the throne after the death of King Sebastião. He ruled from 1578 to 1580, during the succession crisis that preceded the Iberian Union. His coinage was extremely limited, consisting only of silver vinténs, half tostões, tostões and the exceptionally rare 500‑réis gold coin. These issues are highly sought after by collectors due to their scarcity and the historical significance of this transitional reign.