8 Reales Siege Coinage

1741 year


Copper	-	-

Description

Issuer	Cuba
King	Philip V (1700-1724, 1724-1746)
Period	War of Jenkins' Ear (1739-1748)
Type	Standard circulation coin
Year	1741
Value	8 Reales
Composition	Copper
Shape	Round
Orientation	Medal alignment ↑↑
Demonetized	1790
Updated	2024-10-04

References

Numista	N#103276
Rarity index	91%

Reverse

Crowned castle Arms divide date

Lettering: 17 41

Translation: 1741

Engraver: Francisco Enriquez del Angle

Comment

Struck at Santiago de Cuba while under blockage of Admiral Vernon's ships.
Originally was ordered to mint coins of 1/4 Real, 2 Reales, 4 Reales and 8 Reales; at last only this coin was minted, and possibly the 1/4 Real, minted a s1/2 Real, but is not confirmed.
The obverse shows crowned arms with a lion in it, symbol of Leon (Lion) Kingdom of Spain; on the obverse shows crowned arms with a castle in it, for Castilla (castle) Kingdom of Spain. Those two kingdoms united on mid 15th. century, by marriage of Ferdinand of Leon, and Elizabeth of Castilla, and formed the actual Spain.

Interesting fact

The 8 Reales coin from Cuba, also known as the "Siege Coinage," was created during a time of economic hardship and political turmoil in the 18th century. The coin was made of copper, which was a more affordable material than the traditional silver or gold used in other coins. Despite its humble composition, the 8 Reales coin remains a valuable and sought-after collector's item among numismatists today.