Abstract

This paper examines the symbolic character of the Brazilian new currency, the
Real, whose name suggests its ambition of not only represent a value, but to be the reality
itself. Also, the utilization of natural pictures instead of historical ones on the stamp of the
new bills points the wish of giving the character of reality to the currency launched in 1994,
meanwhile shows the inflation as product of a disordered imagination. Therefore, the new
currency symbolic representation matches very well to the political discourse that sustains
the Real.

JEL Classification: Z13; Z19.