Cruzado - Henry II (Cuenca) ND (1369-1373) front Cruzado - Henry II (Cuenca) ND (1369-1373) back
Cruzado - Henry II (Cuenca) ND (1369-1373) photo
© Aureo & Calicó S.L., subastas numismáticas

Cruzado - Henry II Cuenca ND

 
Billon 2 g -
Description
Issuer
Kingdom of Castile and Leon (Spanish States)
King
Henry II (1366-1379)
Type
Standard circulation coin
Years
1369-1373
Value
1 Real (⅑)
Currency
Real (1350-1400)
Composition
Billon
Weight
2 g
Shape
Round (irregular)
Technique
Hammered
Demonetized
Yes
Updated
2024-10-07
References
Numista
N#145367
Rarity index
95%

Reverse

Cross

Script: Latin

Lettering: E N R I ENRICVS REX CASTELLE

Translation: Enrique Enrique II King of Castile

Comment

The diameter of the coin can be used to attribute roughly the minting year, since this coins carry no date.
An excerpt of ENRIQUE II Y SU MONEDA TRASTAMARISTA by Elena Ballesteros Iglesias details how the size of this coin and its silver content diminished in a short period of 4 years.
Translated from Spanish, from the original research paper (https://www.academia.edu/6838527/ENRIQUE_II):
"The cruzados should have a size of 120 pieces on a Mark and one eighth of silver, that is, a weight of 1.94 g containing 0.242 g of silver, slightly less than an eight of silver, to the detriment of the Real. Three periods are distinguished, the first one in which the cruzados would reach legal weight and show a Latin cross, which would include those made between May 1369 and June 1370; a second one, in which the cruzados would weight around 1.50 g, minted until the year 1371; and those minted later, with a weight that would slightly exceed one gram. The devaluation of 1370 brought not only a reduction in the weight but also in the actual silver content of the cruzados, to the point that their manufacture would have been uneconomical if the value of the silver had been higher than that of the cruzado itself"
More information about the historical reasons for Henry II to mint this coin and others (Cornado, Real) are included in this interesting paper.

Interesting fact

The Cruzado - Henry II (Cuenca) coin from the Kingdom of Castile and Leon (Spanish States) is interesting because it was used as a form of currency during the reign of King Henry II in the 14th century. Despite being made of billon, a copper and silver alloy, it was still considered a valuable form of currency during that time. Additionally, the coin features an image of King Henry II on one side and the royal coat of arms on the other, making it a unique piece of history.