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History of the Spanish Doubloon
The Spanish Doubloon was a seven-gram
(.225 Troy-ounce) gold coin minted in Spain, Mexico, and the Spanish settlement
of Nueva Grenada (present-day Peru)
that was used widely in the Americas
until the mid-nineteenth century
The word “doubloon” has its roots in
the Latin word “duplus,” meaning double, a reference to denomination of this
coin worth two escudos
These gold coins were eventually minted in four
denominations, worth one, two, four, and eight escudos respectively.
Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, gold doubloons played
a pivotal role in the Spanish economy and were a major part of its colonial
activities
Doubloons minted in the Americas were carried on Spanish
galleons throughout the Caribbean and across the world to trade for highly
sought after commodities such as silks and spices
As they made their
way across the vast seas and oceans, the captains of these ships were always
wary of attack from marauding pirates
The pirates knew full well that
if they could manage to intercept a Spanish galleon en route to its trading
destination, their chances of finding gold aboard were extremely high
Minted on the front of the doubloon is the coat of arms of
the Hapsburg royal family, known as the “Hapsburg Shield.” Ferdinand and
Isabella of Spain,
remembered by history as the king and queen who launched
the voyage of Christopher Columbus, were part of the Hapsburg royal lineage
The “Crusader’s Cross” is stamped on the coin's reverse. The appearance of
this symbol indicates the close tie between religion and government in Spain in
the 16th and 17th century
The doubloon’s reverse also contains a lion,
representing the Spanish province of Leon and a castle, the symbol of the
province of Castile.
Why aren't Doubloons round ??
Because Doubloons were minted entirely by hand, creating a
perfectly round coin was virtually impossible. First, gold was melted down and
poured into thin strips
As the gold strips cooled, they were pressed
until they met the desired thickness. Coin-shaped pieces were then cut from the
strips of metal to create what are known today as “blanks”
The blanks
were then pressed against an engraved coin die and struck repeatedly until the
design of the die was embedded in the soft metal
After the coins were
weighed, excess metal was trimmed away by hand.
Doubloons in American History
Colonial America was awash in coins from all across Europe.
Dutch Thalers mixed with English pounds, French Francs, and Spanish gold pieces
of eight
As it happened, a considerable number of these coins were put
into circulation by pirates sailing north from the Caribbean to commercial
centers such as New York
The Spanish gold doubloon most definitely made
its way to New York and was certainly used in commercial trade there
In
fact, an American version of the doubloon was first minted in 1787 by a man
named Ephraim Brasher
The so-called “Brasher Doubloon” is now one of
the most valuable and coveted rare gold coins in the world
The romance of ancient treasure coins!
Silver Reals from the Spanish Empire! Pieces of eight! Doubloons! Escudos of
gleaming gold!
To hold these coins in our hands, whether actual artifacts or carefully
crafted duplicates, is to feel the heft of those ancient treasures and
happily allow the mind to travel back
... back to a world where marvelous sailing ships; adventurous explorers;
conquistadores, colonial wars, pre-Columbian civilizations,
blood thirsty pirates and horrible hurricanes all stamped their imprint on
our history!
Arrg !
Maties
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