Monedas - History Lab

Coin of 2 maravedíes of the Catholic Monarchs

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:30:09 +0000

The maravedí was a Spanish coin used between the 12th and 19th centuries, whose minting began during the reign of Alfonso VI after the conquest of Toledo in 1085. During the reign of the Catholic Monarchs, other types of coins appeared, such as the ducats. One of these, the “white” coin, had a value of half a maravedí. This small coin, of little value and small size, has survived to the present day through the expression “estar sin blanca” (to be penniless). The two maravedí coin of the Catholic Monarchs has inscriptions on the obverse and reverse. On the obverse we can read the direct allusion to the monarchs who minted the coin in Latin “FERNANDVS – ET – ELISA” (Ferdinand and Isabella). A castle with three towers appears on the reverse. The reverse reads ‘REX – ET – REGINA – KAS’, thus referring to their status as kings

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Silver coin issues in the Crown of Aragon (1480-1598)

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:29:13 +0000

The discovery of America by the Hispanic Monarchy led to the use of Castilian reales in the Crown of Aragon due to the remittances of silver received by Castile. Ferdinand the Catholic sought to increase the legal value of the silver coins of the Aragonese crown so that they would not be annulled, nominally devaluing the vellon to facilitate conversion with the Castilian reales. The monarch refused to reduce the weight of the silver coins during his reign in order to prevent their export. why were the Valencian dieciochenos exported? Their weight in silver exceeded the nominal value which the law recognised. During the reign of Charles V between 1480 and 1598, the weight of the silver coinage in the Crown of Aragon tended to be reduced in the Kingdom of Valencia, without any loss of value. Thus, the weight of the Valencian dieciocheno was reduced by 25.25% in 1522 and by 29% in 1547. Compared to the Valencian money market, the Catalan one was more stable. In fact, the weight of the Catalan croat remained constant at 3.23 grams throughout the 17th century.

The post Silver coin issues in the Crown of Aragon (1480-1598) first appeared on History Lab.

Silver coin issues in the Crown of Aragon (1601-1700)

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:29:13 +0000

For the Crown of Aragon, made up of the kingdoms of Aragon, Valencia and the principality of Catalonia, the issue of silver coins was one of the main concerns of the monetary economy. If during the 16th century the weight of the Valencian dieciocheno had to be reduced so as not to exceed its legal tender value and thus avoid its export, the 17th century saw similar measures for the Catalan “croat” and real and the Valencian dieciocheno itself. In the first case, the 3.12 grams that the croat had weighed since 1493 was reduced in 1619 to 3.04 grams, reaching 2.81 grams in 1653. The Catalan real fell from 2.5 grams to 2.04 between 1674 and 1698. For its part, the Valencian silver coin ended the century at 1.87 grams, almost half the 3 grams it weighed in 1480. However, the Aragonese real remained at a fixed weight of 3.42 for more than a century: from 1519 to 1652. All these adjustments were carried out as reforms aimed at readjusting the silver to the fleece.

The post Silver coin issues in the Crown of Aragon (1601-1700) first appeared on History Lab.

Potosí. Example of a colonial space

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:28:11 +0000

Chapter of the series “Horizontes Ciencias Sociales”, part of the Encuentro channel, broadcast by the Ministry of Education (Argentina), which explains the process of mining the immense silver deposits by the Spanish colonists. This exploitation had a lot to do with the growth of the city of Potosí, a city that reached similar dimensions to European cities such as London. It also tells what life was like for the mine workers, in this case the Ayaconas Indians, and how their work equipment was made. Of course, the great human toll of the hard work in the mines is not overlooked. Gradually, guilds began to form around the exploitation. In this context, inequalities increased as a result of the wealth and the increase in capital of a few bourgeois merchants whose social ascent had repercussions in Europe, especially in Spain.

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The mints of the Indies

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:28:11 +0000

This short video explains the birth of the mints in the American dominions. The regions of Mexico and Santo Domingo, and later Lima and Potosí, are particularly highlighted. The first Bourbons imposed quality measures which prompted the opening of new mints in Guatemala, Popayán and Santiago de Chile. Silver from the colonies arrived in Spain where it was minted, above all, in the form of reales de a ocho, a coin also known as the peso and later as the duro. The type of coins was also varied, with special emphasis on the symbolism in the form of the Pillars of Hercules and the motto of Emperor Charles: PLVS VLTRA.

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