Il ''[[Realreal portoghese]]'' è stata la valuta utilizzata dai primi [[Impero portoghese|coloni portoghesi]] arrivati in [[America]], ma la prima moneta ufficiale a circolare con il nome "real" è stata in realtà stampata nel 1654 dagli [[Paesi Bassi|olandesi]], durante la loro occupazione di una parte del [[Regione Nordest del Brasile|nordest brasiliano]].
TheIl real divenne la valuta ufficiale del Brasile nel 1790, quando ancora era una colonia portoghese. <!----------It was retained when Brazil became independent in 1822. It was not sub-divided in smaller units, even though it was affected by significant [[inflation]] during its long lifespan. The practical currency unit shifted from the real to the ''mil réis'' ("one thousand réis") and then to the ''conto de réis'' (one million réis, literally "one count of réis") in the final years of the [[República Velha]] era.
Amounts under 1,000 réis were typically written prefixed by "Rs", as in "Rs 350". In amounts of 1,000 réis and over, the "Rs" remained as the prefix, but the ''cifrão'' "<math>\mathrm{S}\!\!\!\Vert</math>, a doubly stroked dollar sign, was inserted just after the thousands digit — as in "Rs 1$712" for 1,712 réis. For amounts of one million reais and over, a colon ":" was also inserted just after the millions digit, as in "Rs 1:020$800" for 1,020,800 réis.
