«Gold ornaments» from Goa

Portuguese bank catalogues «gold ornaments» from Goa

Samples of ornaments from the last 14 cases of the «Gold ornaments» from Goa

The Portuguese Bank Caixa Geral de Depósitos (CGD) is continuing with the cataloguing of the last 14 cases of the «gold ornaments» from Goa, exposed officially in December 2011 in Lisbon. The «Gold ornaments» from Goa, in Portuguese so called “Jóias da Índia”, were deposited in the BNU dependence in Goa and brought from Goa to Lisbon few days before the Indian troops occupied the territory on December 17, 1961.

Photo of 1868 of the building where the Portuguese Banco Nacional Ultramarino (BNU) established its first dependence in former Portuguese India. Later, BNU opened dependences in Margao, Vasco da Gama, Mapusa and Daman. Photo of the collection of Rito Pereira

The Portuguese Bank Caixa Geral de Depósitos (CGD), the successive Bank of the former Banco Nacional Ultramarino (BNU), is still continuing with the cataloguing of the so called «gold ornaments» from Goa, contained in the last cases which remain in Lisbon.

The «Gold ornaments» from Goa, in Portuguese the so called “Jóias da Índia”, included gold bars, jewels and coins deposited in the BNU dependence in Goa and were brought to Lisbon few days before Indian troops occupied the territory on 17th December 1961. Jorge Esteves Anastácio the then manager of the BNU dependence in Goa was responsible for transferring these «Gold ornaments» to Lisbon where they have been kept in the custody of the BNU. Since then many of these ornaments have been returned to their legitimate proprietors and 230.000 silver coins of the package have been sold or have been molten by CGD.

The ongoing cataloguing in the headquarters of CGD in Lisbon refers to the last 14 cases of the «gold ornaments» from Goa, containing gold and jewels and exposed officially in December 2011 in Lisbon.

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