What is distinguished is expensive. And more, in a world of collectors as specialized as that of numismatics. Therefore, what better than to say goodbye to the year 2022 with a list of those historical pieces so special as to be able to sell for up to two million euros. A list that has been drawn up this week by ‘Economista’ and that covers the most glorious period in the history of Spain, from the Catholic kings until Felipe IIII.
The jewel in the crown is the ‘centén’ of Felipe III. A piece that, according to María Teresa Muñoz in ‘La moneda castellana en los reinos de indias durante la Edad Moderna’, was equivalent to one hundred escudos (hence its name), was large, treasured about 339 grams of gold and was part of the of the so-called ‘gift and prestige coins’.
“They were pieces of great value, intended to serve as gifts on special occasions, such as important celebrations of the royal family, entertaining prominent foreign visitors…”, adds the expert. The curious thing is that they were minted at one of the times when the Monarchy suffered the most economic problems. One was sold in 2009 and could fetch twice the price today.
The ‘does not stay behindexcellent from Grenada‘, a gold coin minted at the time of the Catholic Monarchs that received this name because it contained the symbol of the recently conquered Nasrid kingdom on its shield. In practice it was competitive that circulated in the main commercial places of the old continent.
This is how the ‘Encyclopedic Historical Dictionary’ of 1833 defined it: «Spanish gold coin that was minted in the fourteenth century and following and was distinguished between major and minor. The largest, which was divided into half and quarters, was worth 28 reales and 28 silver maravedíes. The smallest was worth 11 reales and a silver marevedí. Today, prices can be around between 300,000 and 600,000 euros according to their state of conservation.
Lastly, the ‘Spanish gold ounces‘. Minted for the first time in 1659 in Lima, they became one of the most common legal tender coins in the Empire. Later, yes, the shields and the doubloons. As stated by Luis Antonio Rodríguez Vázquez in ‘Historia de las monedas’, “they would circulate at a rate of 15 ½ pesos for the difference that the public gave them”. Although, on paper, he adds that the value of the Spanish ounce was 16 pesos.
Their nicknames were innumerable: ‘galanas’, ‘peluconas’… As there were an infinity of them according to the place where they were created, their price varies. The Mexican ones, the strangest, are around a price of 475,000 euros. The rest, about 300,000.