Spanish colonial real
Encyclopedia
The silver real was the currency of the Spanish colonies in the Americas and the Philippines
. In the seventeenth century the silver real was established at two billon reals
(reales de vellón) or sixty-eight Spanish maravedí
s. Gold escudos (worth 16 reales) were also issued. The coins circulated throughout Spain's colonies and beyond, with the eight-real piece, known in English as the Spanish dollar
, becoming an international standard and spawning, among other currencies, the United States dollar
. A reform in 1737 set the silver real at two and half billon reals or eighty-five maravedís. This coin, called the real de plata fuerte, became the new standard, issued as coins until the early 19th century. The gold escudo was worth 16 reales de plata fuerte.
, Caracas
, Guatemala City
, Lima
, Mexico City
, Popayán
, Potosí
, Santo Domingo
and Santiago
.
For details, see the:
After the independence of Spain's colonies, the real was replaced by currencies also denominated in reales and escudos, including the Argentine real
, Central American Republic real
, Ecuadorian real
, Honduran real
, Paraguayan real
and Santo Domingo real
.
mint which issued fraction of real copper coins in the early nineteenth century to facilitate commerce.
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
. In the seventeenth century the silver real was established at two billon reals
Spanish real
The real was a unit of currency in Spain for several centuries after the mid-14th century, but changed in value relative to other units introduced...
(reales de vellón) or sixty-eight Spanish maravedí
Spanish maravedí
The maravedí was the name of various Iberian coins of gold and then silver between the 11th and 14th centuries and the name of different Iberian accounting units between the 11th and 19th centuries.-Etymology:...
s. Gold escudos (worth 16 reales) were also issued. The coins circulated throughout Spain's colonies and beyond, with the eight-real piece, known in English as the Spanish dollar
Spanish dollar
The Spanish dollar is a silver coin, of approximately 38 mm diameter, worth eight reales, that was minted in the Spanish Empire after a Spanish currency reform in 1497. Its purpose was to correspond to the German thaler...
, becoming an international standard and spawning, among other currencies, the United States dollar
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
. A reform in 1737 set the silver real at two and half billon reals or eighty-five maravedís. This coin, called the real de plata fuerte, became the new standard, issued as coins until the early 19th century. The gold escudo was worth 16 reales de plata fuerte.
History
Coins were produced at mints in BogotáBogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
, Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
, Guatemala City
Guatemala City
Guatemala City , is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Guatemala and Central America...
, Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
, Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, Popayán
Popayán
Popayán is the capital of the Colombian department of Cauca. It is located in southwestern Colombia between Colombia's Western Mountain Range and Central Mountain Range...
, Potosí
Potosí
Potosí is a city and the capital of the department of Potosí in Bolivia. It is one of the highest cities in the world by elevation at a nominal . and it was the location of the Spanish colonial mint, now the National Mint of Bolivia...
, Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
and Santiago
Santiago
Santiago is the capital city of Chile. Santiago may also refer to:*Santiago *Santiago , a Spanish given name*Santiago!, a shortened form of the Reconquista battle cry "Santiago y cierra, España"...
.
For details, see the:
- Colombian realColombian realThe real was the currency of Colombia until 1837. No subdivisions of the real existed until after the real had ceased to be the primary unit of currency. However, 8 reales = 1 peso and 16 reales = 1 escudo.-History:...
es - Mexican realMexican realThe real was a currency of Mexico, issued until 1897. There were 16 silver reales to 1 gold escudo, with 8 tlacos to the real. The peso, which circulated alongside the real and eventually replaced it, was equal to 8 reales....
es - Peruvian realPeruvian realThe real was the currency of Peru until 1863. Sixteen silver reales equalled one gold escudo. The silver coin of 8 reales was also known as the peso.-History:...
es - Venezuelan realVenezuelan real-History:Until 1821, the Spanish colonial real circulated in Venezuela. In 1802, a mint was opened in Caracas and issued coins denominated in reales until 1821. Paper money was introduced in 1811 denominated in reales and pesos. The Colombian real circulated in Venezuela from 1821, with some coins...
es
After the independence of Spain's colonies, the real was replaced by currencies also denominated in reales and escudos, including the Argentine real
Argentine real
The real was the currency of Argentina until 1881. From 1822, it was subdivided into 10 decimos. The sol was also issued during this period and was equal to the real, whilst the peso was worth 8 reales and the escudo was worth 16 reales....
, Central American Republic real
Central American Republic real
The real was the currency of the Federal Republic of Central America from 1824. Sixteen silver reales equaled one gold escudo. The Central American Republic's real replaced the Spanish colonial real at par and continued to circulate and be issued after the constituent states left the Central...
, Ecuadorian real
Ecuadorian real
The real was the currency of Ecuador until 1871. There were no subdivisions but 16 silver reales equalled 1 gold escudo, with the 8 reales coin known as a peso.-History:...
, Honduran real
Honduran real
The real was the currency of Honduras until 1862. Before 1824, the Spanish colonial real circulated, followed by the Central American Republic real. Sixteen silver reales equalled one gold escudo....
, Paraguayan real
Paraguayan real
The real was the currency of Paraguay until 1856. Initially, the Spanish colonial real circulated. This was followed, in 1813, by the Argentine real. In 1845, Paraguay began issuing its own reales. Sixteen silver reales equaled one gold escudo. In 1856, the Paraguayan peso was introduced, worth 8...
and Santo Domingo real
Santo Domingo real
The real was the currency of Santo Domingo until 1822. Some coins were struck locally which circulated alongside other Spanish colonial coins...
.
Coins
Unlike in Spain, the copper coins were generally not struck by the colonial mints. Most issued silver coins in denominations of ¼, ½, 1, 2, 4 and 8 reales and gold coins for ½, 1, 2, 4 and 8 escudos. Exceptions were the Santo Domingo mint, which did strike maravedís in the sixteenth century and the CaracasCaracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
mint which issued fraction of real copper coins in the early nineteenth century to facilitate commerce.
See also
- Currency of Spanish AmericaCurrency of Spanish AmericaThis article provides an outline of the currency of Spanish America from Spanish colonization in the 15th century until Spanish American independencies in the 19th...
- Spanish realSpanish realThe real was a unit of currency in Spain for several centuries after the mid-14th century, but changed in value relative to other units introduced...
- Spanish dollarSpanish dollarThe Spanish dollar is a silver coin, of approximately 38 mm diameter, worth eight reales, that was minted in the Spanish Empire after a Spanish currency reform in 1497. Its purpose was to correspond to the German thaler...
- PesoPesoThe word peso was the name of a coin that originated in Spain and became of immense importance internationally...
- Viceroyalty