8 reales from cazador shipwreck

Discussion in 'World Coins' started by Swervo513, Dec 19, 2012.

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  1. John14

    John14 Active Member

    I believe in the Pillars Of Hercules theory. If the Peso Abbreviation theory, or the Potosi Mint Mark theory is the correct why is the US dollar sign sometimes written with two vertical strokes? The best explanation to me is Spanish Peso coin had two pillars engraved on the reverse side to symbolize the"Pillars of Hercules" at Gibraltar and the words "Plus Ultra" indicating that beyond the Pillars of Hercules there were otherlands. That coin was called the Pillar Dollar in the British colonies in North America and the two pillars became the two strokes in the Dollar sign (put this in for the sake of others reading). The dollar sign with two vertical lines is the one I have been talking about. – Interesting, just the other day I noticed that the $ key on my computer keyboard has one vertical line.

    Here is an interesting quote from Investors Europe:
    “The Dollar symbol $ is derived from the Pillars of Hercules, one of the oldest symbols known to the human race. The Emperor Charles the Fifth of Germany who, also being king of Spain, adopted them as supporters on either side of his escutcheon, and also placed them on the Spanish “pillar dollar.” Charles derived the idea from the poetic conceit which gave the name of “Pillars of Hercules” to the two mountains which stand on either side the Straits of Gibraltar; that is, Calpe, or the Rock of Gibraltar,on the north, and Mount Abyla, in Africa, on the south. The scroll, which inthe device on the dollar was twined about the pillars, has by long use been gradually modified through writing the mark so as to assume its present form in the dollar mark.”

    Some writings state the abbreviated letters of Potosi are PTSI, and other things I read say PTS. Why is that? I was thinking that since the letters overlaid the “I” is totally hidden behind the P&T, so some sources left it out? Why would some authors add the "I" in?
     
    John14, Dec 22, 2012
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  3. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    Your quote is a good example of what I wast talking about. Charles V was not "of Germany". He was Spanish, both his parents were Spanish, but he was actually born in the Netherlands. Yes, he also ruled over Germany, but only as the Holy Roman Emperor.

    As for Mount Abyla, that name dates from an encyclopedia printed in 1921. Today the mountain is known as Mount Acho (or Hacho). In English it is known as Mount Moses. But the idea, the story, of the Pillars of Hercules goes back to ancient times. They were first described by Pindar, and legend (at the time of Charles V) held that the Pillars bore the inscription Non Plus Ultra - nothing beyond. And that is exactly why the legend Plus Ultra was chosen to be the legend on the Spanish colonial coins, because they now had proof that there was indeed something beyond those pillars.

    This is one of the earliest Pillar designs, from a coin I used own. A 1542 4 reales struck in Mexico City. The first coins ever struck in the New World were struck there in 1536, in the actual home of Cortez. As this one was.

    1542 C-J 4 reale rev a.jpg

    This is the design that Charles V used. As you can see, it's quite a bit different than the much later Pillar Dollars. And it bears no resemblance to the dollar sign.
     
    GDJMSP, Dec 22, 2012
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