10 Centimos (Menorca) 1937 front 10 Centimos (Menorca) 1937 back
10 Centimos (Menorca) 1937 photo
© The Coinhouse Auctions

10 Centimos Menorca

1937 year
Brass 1.45 g 15 mm
Description
Issuer
Island of Menorca (Province of Balearic Islands)
Period
Second Republic (1936-1939)
Type
Standard circulation coin
Year
1937
Value
10 Centimos (0.10&nbspESP)
Currency
Peseta (1936-1939)
Composition
Brass
Weight
1.45 g
Diameter
15 mm
Shape
Round
Technique
Milled
Orientation
Coin alignment ↑↓
Demonetized
1 April 1939
Updated
2024-10-07
References
Numista
N#29266
Rarity index
77%

Reverse

Value above star, single sprig at left.

Script: Latin

Lettering:
R. ESPAÑOLA
VALE POR
10 cts

Translation:
Spanish Republic
Valid for
10 Centimos

Engraver: Juan Pons

Designer: Francesc Hernández Sanz

Edge

Plain

Comment

The outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 caused serious problems in the country's monetary system, with the disappearance of silver coins and small change in circulation. Menorca was no stranger to this fact, which was exacerbated by its isolation by remaining loyal to the Second Republic. The authorities of the Island addressed the serious problem represented by the lack of fractional currency in the Menorcan population. Therefore, the Municipal Councils agreed in 1937 to mint five coins with a total of 173,029 pieces in coins of 2.50 Pesetas, 1 Peseta, 25 Centimos, 10 Centimos and 5 Centimos, for an amount of 111,839.55 pesetas, which they began to circulate the following year, as reported by Deseado Mercadal in "The Civil War in Menorca".
The development of the drawings for the front and back of the new coins was entrusted to the historian and cartoonist Francesc Hernández Sanz, chronicler-archivist of the City Council of Maó, while the minting was carried out by the jewelry factory of Joan Torrent Torres, from Ciutadella, the architects of this work being the operators Juanito Pons, author of the dies, and Jaume Mesquisa, responsible for the production process, as Joan Pons Huguet assures in the article "Coins and bills minted in Menorca during the civil war" included in Publications from born
The minting of these coins was commissioned to the factory of Joan Torrent due to the fact of storing a large quantity of brass plates, material with which the more than 170,000 pieces were made which, obviously, lost all their legal value once the Civil war.
The reverse of the five coins presents in the central part the coat of arms of the municipalities surrounded by a circle of dots and around it the number "Municipal Councils of Menorca 1937". On the obverse, on the left, an olive branch appears and on the reverse side the inscription "República Española", while in the center the value of each coin appears on a five-pointed star.
The individual run of these coins already knew them, but it is not too much to put them. 5 Centimos=41,719, 10 Centimos=31,841, 25 Centimos=36,933, 1 Peseta=38,426 and 2.50 Pesetas=24,010. The total between all values ​​would be 172,929 units (100 units less than the projected total run).

Interesting fact

The 10 Centimos coin from Menorca, issued in 1937, features a unique design that reflects the island's rich history and culture. On one side, the coin bears the image of a traditional Menorcan boat, known as a "latin sailboat," which was used by local fishermen for centuries. On the other side, the coin features the coat of arms of Menorca, which includes a shield with the symbols of the island's patron saints, San Juan and Santa Maria. This design was chosen to represent the island's strong maritime tradition and its cultural heritage.

Price

Date Mintage VG F VF XF AU UNC
1937  31841 - - - - - -

Values in the table are based on evaluations by sales realized on Internet platforms. They serve as an indication only for 10 Centimos (Menorca) 1937 coin.