Recent online buzz and media reports have suggested that the Banco de Portugal is releasing a special €7 coin to celebrate Cristiano Ronaldo. However, these claims are entirely false. The Portuguese central bank has officially denied these rumors, clarifying that there are no plans to issue any commemorative or collector coins dedicated to the renowned football icon.
In a public statement, the Banco de Portugal explicitly stated that it has not authorized and will not authorize the production of a Cristiano Ronaldo coin. They further explained that the annual coin and medal production program is the exclusive responsibility of the Portuguese Mint and Official Printing Office, which has also publicly refuted the claims of a Ronaldo coin being in production.
The misinformation spread rapidly across social media and online news platforms, alleging the release of 25,000 “Portugal 7 Euro Coin” pieces, supposedly priced at €7.50 each. Some versions of the rumor even speculated about the coin’s potential future value, suggesting it could reach as high as €144,000 due to its supposed rarity, gold content, and Ronaldo’s global fame.
Many of these deceptive posts included an image of the purported coin. However, this image is not genuine; it is an AI-generated fabrication.
The picture of the alleged coin has been AI generated.
AI-generated image circulating online, falsely presented as the Portugal 7 euro coin honoring Cristiano Ronaldo.
Upon closer inspection, the AI-generated image lacks the intricate details typical of official coinage. The lettering around the coin’s edge is nonsensical, a common telltale sign of AI-generated visuals. Anyone interested in verifying the official commemorative coins issued by Portugal can easily check the websites of both the Banco de Portugal and the Portuguese Mint. These official sources list all legitimate collector and commemorative coins released in the past year. Recent releases include coins celebrating Portugal’s Olympic team, the Skating Federation, and the nation’s participation in the Euro 2024 championship. Notably absent from the official lists is any mention of a “portugal 7 euro coin” dedicated to Cristiano Ronaldo.
This isn’t the first time false claims about a CR7 coin have surfaced. Similar rumors circulated as far back as September, following Ronaldo’s 900th career goal against Croatia. Fact-checking organizations debunked those claims at the time, highlighting the recurring nature of this misinformation.
While a dedicated “portugal 7 euro coin” remains a myth, Portugal has indeed honored Cristiano Ronaldo in various significant ways, reflecting his status as a national icon. Cristiano Ronaldo, widely considered one of the greatest football players ever, has received numerous accolades in his home country. The airport in his native Madeira is officially named Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport, and statues of the football star stand in prominent locations across the island, serving as lasting tributes to his achievements.
Portugal has a history of issuing commemorative coins to honor notable figures. For instance, a €5 coin was released last year to celebrate Luís de Camões, the 16th-century poet often compared to Shakespeare or Dante. While such official recognition has been bestowed upon other Portuguese luminaries, a “portugal 7 euro coin” for Cristiano Ronaldo remains, for now, only a figment of online imagination. The Banco de Portugal’s firm denial should put an end to the circulating rumors and clarify that the purported “portugal 7 euro coin” is not an official issue.
