5 Centimos Menorca

1937 year


Brass	1.2 g	13.5 mm

Description

Issuer	Island of Menorca (Province of Balearic Islands)
Period	Second Republic (1936-1939)
Type	Standard circulation coin
Year	1937
Value	5 Centimos (0.05&nbspESP)
Currency	Peseta (1936-1939)
Composition	Brass
Weight	1.2 g
Diameter	13.5 mm
Shape	Round
Technique	Milled
Orientation	Coin alignment ↑↓
Demonetized	1 April 1939
Updated	2024-10-07

References

Numista	N#28058
Rarity index	79%

Reverse

Value above star, single olive branch at left.

Script: Latin

Lettering:
R. ESPAÑOLA
VALE POR
5 cts

Translation:
Spanish Republic
Valid for
5 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 make 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 5 Centimos coin from Menorca, issued in 1937, features a unique design that reflects the island's rich history and culture. The coin's obverse side depicts a representation of the island's coat of arms, which includes a shield with four quadrants, each representing a different aspect of Menorca's history: the Moorish occupation, the Catalan-Aragonese influence, the British rule, and the island's connection to the sea. The reverse side of the coin features a stylized image of a menorquina, a traditional Menorcan boat, which is still used today for fishing and transportation. This design not only showcases the island's maritime heritage but also serves as a symbol of Menorca's resilience and connection to its past.

Price

Date	Mintage	VG	F	VF	XF	AU	UNC
1937	41719	-	-	-	-	-	-

Values in the table are based on evaluations by sales realized on Internet platforms. They serve as an indication only for 5 Centimos (Menorca) 1937 coin.