LON-D0EC13: A Post Medieval Spanish colonial copper coin: 4-maravedis in the name of Carlos and Joanna (AD1516-1556), Santo Domingo mint, dating from AD1542-1564.

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COIN

Unique ID: LON-D0EC13

Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow status: Awaiting validation

A Post Medieval Spanish colonial copper coin: 4-maravedis in the name of Carlos and Joanna (AD1516-1556), Santo Domingo mint, dating from AD1542-1564. Brevoort (1885:12) writes "These peices were called 'cuartos' being one quater of a real." The obverse has a gothic Y flanked on the left by the assayer mark 'F' for Francisco Rodriguez and on the right the denomination, four small upright strokes. The legand reads 'KAROLVS ET IOHANNA'. The reverse has the crowned pillars of Hercules flanked by the mint mark 'S' and 'P' for Santo Domingo del Puerto with the legend 'REGIS ISPANIARUM ET', King of Spain and the Indies.

Obverse: Crowned Y with F to the left and [IIII] to the right

Obverse inscription: [KAROLVS ET IOHANNA].

Reverse: Crowned pillars of Hercules, with S to the left and P to the right.

Reverse inscription: [REGIS ISPANIARUM ET]

Dimensions: Diameter: 21.85mm; weight: 1.63g.

Similar coins recorded on the database are KENT-59DE77 and SWYOR-7A04E0.

Sedwick Downing, C. 2015. The Charles and Joanna Silver Coinage of Santo Domingo, 1542-1552.

Brevoort J. C. 1885. Early Spanish and Portuguese Coinage in America. Boston

Notes:

Brevoort (1885:12) writes "The K in KAROLVS is a barbarism, which is found on some early silver coins also. The double N in IOANNA is found on this type only. REGIS instead of REGES in found on all the copper pieces of this class, and also on some of the silver ones. Heiss thinks that the device on the obverse of these pieces was intended for Isabella, the mother of Joana, as a similar one is found on her coins."

Cori Sedwick Downing writes "Assayer F, for Francisco Rodríguez, was the only assayer of Santo Domingo Charles and Joanna coinage...S and P, the mintmarks for Santo Domingo, almost always appear on the pillars side of the coins, either as S-P or P-S (and often with retrograde S). Why S-P for Santo Domingo? No one knows for sure, the leading theories being that the original name of the city was Santo Domingo del Puerto and also bore the nickname Santo Domingo Ciudad Primada; but in any case the theory that Spain didn't send a D punch is certainly not valid, as the letter D properly appears in the legends."

These were minted until sometime around 1563 or 1564, bearing the names of Carlos and Joanna even into the reign of Philip II.

Subsequent actions

Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder

Chronology

Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
Period from: POST MEDIEVAL
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1542
Date to: Circa AD 1564

Dimensions and weight

Quantity: 1
Weight: 1.63 g
Diameter: 21.85 mm

Personal details

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Materials and construction

Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Struck or hammered
Completeness: Incomplete

Coin data (numismatics)

Denomination: 4 maravedis
Ruler/issuer: Joanna and Charles of Spain
Type: Spain: copper 4 maravedis of Joanna and Charles (Clemente and Cayon 2985-2995)
Obverse description: Crowned Y with F to the left and [IIII] to the right
Obverse inscription: [KAROLVS ET IOHANNA].
Reverse description: Crowned pillars of Hercules, with S to the left and P to the right.
Reverse inscription: [REGIS ISPANIARUM ET]
Die axis measurement: 5 o'clock
Degree of wear: Very worn: fair

Coin references

No coin references available.

Spatial metadata

Region: London (European Region)
County or Unitary authority: Greater London Authority (Greater London Authority)
District: City and County of the City of London (London Borough)
Parish or ward: Dowgate (London Borough Ward)

Spatial coordinates

4 Figure: TQ3280
Four figure Latitude: 51.5035277
Four figure longitude: -0.09955492
1:25K map: TQ3280
1:10K map: TQ38SW
Grid reference source: Generated from computer mapping software
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.

Discovery metadata

Method of discovery: Metal detector
General landuse: Open fresh water

References cited

No references cited so far.

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Timeline of associated dates

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Audit data

Recording Institution: LON
Created: 5 years ago
Updated: 5 years ago

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