|
Date: |
|
Description: | Post Medieval silver 8 Reales coin dating to 1689. The 8 Real was often referred to as a 'piece of eight' and has long been popularly associated with Pirates in literature and films.This coin was minted at the famous Potosi silver mine in Bolivia, one of several New World mints set up by the Spanish. Because the Spanish Real was a very stable unit of currency, the coins were used all over the known world. The obverse shows symbols of Spain: a cross with a castle in the top left and bottom right, and a lion in the top right and bottom left.On the reverse are two pillars, symbolising the Pillars of Hercules, or the Straights of Gibraltar. The pillars intersect three lines of text which read: Top line: P 8 VR (P= the mintmark, Potosi; 8= the denomination of the coin ie 8 reales; VR= the initials of the assayer, or person checking the silver)Middle line: PLUS ULTRA (A latin motto adopted by Charles I of Spain meaning 'Further Beyond').Bottom line: VR 8 P (A repeat of the top line, but with the assayer initials and the mint mark the other way around)
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
|
More Like this...
-
Coin
Post Medieval silver 8 Reales…
-
COIN
Silver eight reales 'pillars and…
-
COIN
Silver worn and clipped one…
-
COIN
A worn and clipped silver…
-
COIN
A colonial Spanish silver 1…
-
COIN
A colonial Spanish silver 1…
-
COIN
This is a "new plate"…
-
COIN
Fragment of a worn and…
-
COIN
An incomplete and worn post-Medieval…
-
COIN
A metal Spanish America 8-reales,…
|