The obverse of this coin stands for Portugal as a seafaring nation. The pennant flying from the mast of the ship shows five coins. Immediately after the Portuguese independence from Castile, they symbolized the right of the Portuguese king to issue money. The reverse shows the Portuguese escutcheon. It displays five quinas, small coats of arms, with the five coins mentioned above. Around them are seven castles. There are different interpretations as to what they symbolize – from seven victorious battles against the Moors to the family relations of the Portuguese and the Castilian kings. The castles and the quinas are also represented on the Portuguese euro coins.