2138) "Doubloon", Spain: A Commemorative Doubloon (Gold) Coin of the value of € 1.50 issued by the Spanish Mint evoking the enduring popularity/mystique of this historical piece: Date of first issue: 01.12.2021:
Whenever I walk on the shores of a beach, I always scour the sands and incoming waves for any sign of a Spanish Doubloon, Portuguese Ducat, English Guinea or any other coin washed ashore, from a ship-wreck centuries ago in the hope that I will one day find one for my collection. Alas, I have been disappointed every time so far, but my search continues. Maybe some day I will find one on a sea-shore ..........
I was particularly excited that a modern day Commemorative Doubloon Coin has now been issued by the Spanish Mint.
About the Doubloon Coins:
The Doubloon (from Spanish Doblón, or "double", i.e. Double Escudo) was a two-Escudo gold coin worth approximately $4 (four Spanish Dollars) or 32 (Silver) Reales, and weighing 6.766 grams (0.218 troy ounce) of 22-karat gold (or 0.917 fine; or 6.20 grams of fine gold).
Doubloons were minted in Spain and the Viceroyalties of New Spain, Peru, and Nueva Granada (modern-day Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela).
As the Spanish Escudo succeeded the heavier gold "Excelente" (or "Ducado" or "Ducat") - 3.1 grams of fine gold (Ducat) as opposed to 3.48 g fine gold (Excellente). The Doubloon, now became the standard Spanish gold coin.
Spanish American gold coins were minted in one-half, one, two, four, and eight Escudo denominations, with each Escudo being worth around two Spanish dollars or $2.
The two-Escudo (or $4 coin) was the "doubloon" or "pistole", and the large eight-escudo (or $16) was a "quadruple pistole".
In Spain, doubloons were current for $4 (four Duros, or 80 "Reales de vellón") up to the middle of the 19th century.
Isabella II of Spain switched to an escudo-based coinage with decimal Reales in 1859, and replaced the 6.77-gram Doblón with a new heavier Doblón worth $5 (five Duros, or 100 Reales) and weighing 8.3771 grams (0.268 troy ounces).
The last Spanish doubloons (showing the denomination as 80 Reales) were minted in 1849.
After their independence, the former Spanish Viceroyalties of Mexico, Peru and Nueva Granada continued to mint doubloons.
Doubloons were also been minted in Portuguese colonies, where they went by the name "Dobrão". The São Tomé and Príncipe Dobra was the only extant currency with a name meaning "doubloon."
In Europe, the Doubloon became the model for several other gold coins, including the French "Louis d'or", the Italian "Doppia", the Swiss "Duplone", the Northern German "Pistole", and the Prussian "Friedrich d'or".
For over two hundred years the Spanish gold Doubloon was arguably the most recognizable coin design in the world, prominently depicted on millions of gold and silver “pieces of eight”.
Those coins are among the most romantic and historically important of all coins having played a prominent role in the fortunes of New World conquistadors and adventurers as well as pirates and buccaneers. They are also considered the first global coinage and the precursor of the American Dollar sign ($).
A new Spanish Doubloon issued in 2021:
The Reverse of this first issue of the new "SPANISH DOUBLOON" Gold Coin features the head of an "Iberian LYNX", with the peripheral inscription reading - "LINCE IBERICO".
Also inscribed on this face are the denominational value of "€ 1.5", the year of issue "2021" and the crowned symbol/mint mark of the Spanish Mint.
The Coin has been struck as a Proof 1-ounce 999.9 fine Gold Coin.
The Obverse of the Doubloon Gold Coin features an inscription of Spain’s current monarch, "FELIPE VI. REI DE ESPANA" (on the upper periphery).
In the centre are the famous Columnarios - the Pillars of Hercules design representing the joining of the two Old and New World hemispheres - with two globes crowned over the sea, and the motto “PLVS VLTRA” on ribbons mounted on opposite pillars.
On the lower periphery is the inscription "1 ONZA 999,0 ORO" (meaning - "1 Oz. .9999 Aurum - Gold)
About Plus Ultra:
Plus ultra (meaning "Further beyond") is a Latin phrase and the national motto of Spain. A reversal of the original phrase "non plus ultra" ("Nothing further beyond"), said to have been inscribed as a warning on the Pillars of Hercules at the Strait of Gibraltar (which marked the edge of the known world in antiquity), it has metaphorical suggestions of taking risks and striving for excellence.
Its original version, the personal motto of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, also Duke of Burgundy and King of Spain, was "Plus oultre" in French. The motto was adopted some decades after the discovery of the New World by Columbus.
The specifications of the Commemorative Doubloon are:
Country of issue: Spain; Year: 2021; Denomination/Face Value: One Doubloon or € 1.5 ; Type: Modern Commemorative Coin; Metal Composition: .9999 Fineness Gold (Au); Weight: 31.21 grams; Diameter/Size: 37.00 mm; Coin Quality: Proof (P) and Uncirculated (U); Mintage: 12,000 pieces of which 4,000 pieces were struck on 01.12.2021 in the first lot. Of these only 1000 have been designated as First-Day-of-Issue by PCGS and NGC.; Minted By: The Spanish Mint; Mint Mark: crowned "M".
Remarks:
- This inaugural issue is limited to 12,000 of which 4,000 pieces were struck on 01.12.2021.
- A limited number of FIRST-DAY-OF-ISSUE Certified by either PCGS or NGC as PR-70 and as PR-69 Coins are now available on a “first come” basis.
- The coins are only available from distributors and not from the Spanish Royal Mint.
- Additional raw, non-FDI encapsulated 2021 proof coins will be struck in 2022 and priced at the daily London spot gold price plus 10%.
Interesting links to posts on Portugal and Spanish Coins and postage stamps on this blog:
9) "Nacional Museo del Prado", Spain: Celebrating the Bicentenary milestone (1819-2019): Commemorative Silver Coins of 30 Euros issued by Fabrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre - Casa Real de la Moneda on 20.11.2019: Coins minted by the Madrid Mint
12) The New Silk Road: A Joint issue of a two stamp set of 1.50 Euros each by Spain (Correos Post) and China: Stamps issue date: 01.07.2019
13) Charming Towns, Spain : For the past five years, Correos (Spanish Post) has issued Stamps and Postcards on four beautiful Spanish villages as old-fashioned accordion-style postcards: Date of PostCards/Stamp set issue: 30.03.2020
14) "International LGBTQ Pride Day", Spain: The LGBTQ Pride Day Flag (Rainbow Flag) depicted on the first ever stamp issued: Date of Stamp issued: 15.06.2020
15) "Card Games", Spain: Correos Espana (Spanish Post) has issued a Stamp Sheet of 3.80 Euros representing the four suits (Swords, Pentacles, Cups & Wands) in a Tarot Deck, as the Origins of Card Games: Date of Stamp Sheet issue: 02.07.2020
6) "The Joker", Portugal: Portugal Post has issued a set of four stamps featuring "The Joker"character of DC Comics, who is an archenemy of the "Batman": Date of Stamp issue: 31.03.2020
7) Portuguese Numismatics (1st Group): A set of four Stamps in the values of N20g, A20g, E20g and 120g issued by CTT Correios (Portuguese Post) in partnership with INCM ("Imprensa Nacional-Casa da Moeda (the "Portuguese Mint & Official Printing Office") depicting coins from various periods of history: Date od Stamp set issue: 22.04.2020
12) "Linha Do Douro" ("The Douro Line (Train)", Portugal:12th Coin in the Ibero-American Coin Series titled "Historic Trains" brought out by the "Imprensa Nacional-Casa da Moeda" (INCM): Date of issue: 06/2020
6) Leonardo da Vinci, France: The latest issue from the Monnaie de Paris, France highlights him on the latest Europa Silver Star Coin Programme issued by the Paris Mint: Coin issue date: 03/2019
7) i) "Europa Coin Programme" or the "European Star Programme" or the "Eurostar Programme" ii) Central Bank of Malta issues 50 Euro (Gold) and 10 Euro (Silver) Proof Coins featuring "Architecture and artwork of the Gothic Era" in 05/2020 (which is a part of the wider programme focussing on the Ages of Europe: Date of Coins issue: 08.05.2020
Rsanker Sharma has commented:
ReplyDelete"Very interesting. Great post."
Thank you so much, Sharma sahab.
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