100 Escudos of Portugal 1989 CuNi UNC - Discoveries of Madeira 1420 and Porto Santo 1419

The islands of Porto Santo and Madeira were discovered by Portuguese explorers in the early 15th century, with Porto Santo being discovered in 1419 and Madeira in 1420. João Gonçalves Zarco, along with Tristão Vaz Teixeira and Bartolomeu Perestrelo, stumbled upon Porto Santo after a storm and then explored Madeira, a more fertile island with promising lands. These discoveries were part of Portugal's maritime expansion efforts under Prince Henry the Navigator, aiming to explore new lands and trade routes. The islands played a crucial role as supply points for future explorations and contributed to Portugal's economic development.