© Aureo & Calicó S.L., subastas numismáticas
© Aureo & Calicó S.L., subastas numismáticas
Cruzado - Henry II no mark ND
| Billon | 2 g | - |
| 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 |
| Numista | N#122733 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 90% |
Reverse
Cross
Script: Latin
Lettering:
E N R I
ENRICVS REX CASTELLE
Translation: Henry 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 coin from the Kingdom of Castile and Leon, which was in circulation from 1369 to 1373, features an image of King Henry II on one side and the royal coat of arms on the other. It was made of Billon, a type of alloy that is composed of a mixture of metals, and weighed 2 grams. One interesting fact about this coin is that it was used as a form of currency during a time of great economic change in Spain. The Cruzado was introduced as a replacement for the older coinage system, which was based on the silver mark, and it was intended to stabilize the economy and simplify trade. The use of Billon in the production of the coin was also a significant innovation, as it allowed for the creation of coins that were lighter and more durable than those made of pure silver or gold. Overall, the Cruzado coin played an important role in the economic history of Spain during the Middle Ages.
