Silver piece of eight, silver peso, Spanish dollar, from the period of Philip IV 1635

Description of the Product

Spanish coins were well-known and widely used gold coin during the conquest of the New World, and a treasure coveted by all pirates. Spanish money was introduced to the new settlements and was valid as a currency in other areas too, not just the Spanish-dominated ones. Spanish coins had become the reserve currency of the whole new world, valid everywhere.

From the early 16th century onwards, the world’s most powerful empire, Spain, introduced gold coins named escudo and silver coins named real. One golden escudo was worth 16 silver reals, and a double escudo, or doublon, was worth 32 silver reals. The mighty empire and crown guaranteed the value of the money, and printed its own symbols on the coins, and soon the doublons, escudos, and reals spread around the world in the holds of wooden ships and in the money pouches of sailors.

Silver piece of eight is perhaps the best known name for this coin. In spanish the coin was called Real de la ocho, peso de ocho, or just simply peso. In the English-speaking world the coin was also known as the Spanish dollar. This silver peso was worth eight reals, hence the name of the coin. This silver coin was the most popular of the Spanish coins, and it became the first world currency in history, valid not only in the vast Spanish Empire, but whether you were sailing from South America to distant China, the Dutch East Indies, or to a Caribbean pirate harbor pub. With a piece of eight in your pocket you always got a roof over your head and food on your plate.

After the Spanish Conquistadors had conquered Mexico and Peru in the early 16th century, the minting of these silver coins began in the New World. Wooden ships with holds full of silver coins sailing from the silver mines of the New World back to Spain were an attractive target for pirates. Bulk transports, robberies and attempted robberies of silver coins were very common. Ships with their silver cargo also sailed to Manila, where silver was exchanged for exotic Far Eastern products.

The first silver pesos were minted in Spain in 1497 and they remained the official currency for example in the United States until 1857, meaning that the same money was used from the knightly Middle Ages to the Wild West era. The present currency of several countries is based on this Spanish dollar, e.g., the U.S. dollar, the pesos of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Columbia, the Philippines, and other former Spanish colonies, the Chinese yuan, the Japanese yen, the Korean won, and the Malaysian ringgit.

This coin is a replica from 1635, the period of Philip IV. Philip IV belonged to the Habsburg family, and as well as ruling the great Spanish Empire, he was also the king of Naples, Sicily and Portugal. As Spain was a strongly Catholic country, Philip took part in the Thirty Years' War on the side of the Catholic League, trying to conquer the western parts of Germany for himself, while also fighting against the independence-seeking Netherlands. The Netherlands had long sought to secede from Spanish rule in the Eighty Years’ War, which ended with the same peace treaty in 1648 as the Thirty Years' War, and the Netherlands gained its independence. Although Spain was still the largest and most powerful, the Spanish Empire began its decline during Philip IV. Spain was caught up in endless wars against the Netherlands, France and Britain, in addition to the Thirty Years' War. The Spanish army had lost enormous manpower and resources in its ongoing wars, and was no longer allowed to fight against Portugal, which also seceded from Spain after the war in 1668.

This coin is strongly associated with the most tragic twists and turns of european history, when Europe was a mess of never-ending internal wars, while still conquering new territories as colonies and dominating much of the planet.

• This decorative coin is made entirely from cast metal, zamak
• Perfect for historical re-enactment, in film productions, for collectors of historical memorabilia, and as decoration
• The diameter of the coin is about 3,5 cm
• Manufacturer: Denix, Spain