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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;robinjojo, post: 8213362, member: 110226&quot;]I do have other coins that fall within the Baroque period, a period marked by the emergence of what we recognize as the modern nation-state.&nbsp; It was a period of major accomplishments in the areas of art and science, laying the ground for the period that followed: The Age of Enlightenment.</p><p><br /></p><p>I have just finished a novel about Artemisia Gentileschi, a Baroque painter from Rome, and one of the most accomplished artists of the 17&#039;th century.</p><p><br /></p><p>Here is one of her self portraits, on done in a remarkable perspective.</p><p><br /></p><p>1638-1639</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1441461[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>It was also a period of much turbulence, marked by war and pandemics, including the 30 Years War, a war of particular savagery, the English Civil War, and the numerous wars between Louis XIV and the Holy Roman Empire, England, Spain and the United Provinces, and the Bubonic Plague that ravaged Europe and England in the late 1660s, only to be halted in London by the Great Fire of 1666.</p><p><br /></p><p>The collecting of coins opens portals to history; they invite inquiry not only about their physical characteristics, but also the times that they have traversed in their journey to our collections.&nbsp; Coins do, in a manner, speak to us, just like other historical artifacts, inviting us to learn and expand our understanding.</p><p><br /></p><p>As I have the time and wherewithal I will photograph some of the coins that I have from this period.</p><p><br /></p><p>This is a coin that I created a thread for, but I also thought that it would be a worthy one for this thread as well.</p><p><br /></p><p>In 1635, under Philip IV, Spain was at the apex of her power, with an empire, like the later British Empire, where the sun never set.&nbsp; The spectacular silver deposits in the Mexico and Peru were exploited and converted into coinage and bars that flowed to Spain and Asia; in the case of Spain to help finance her wars and the loans taken out by the Crown from Italian and Low Land bankers, and in the case of Asia to buy goods, such as textiles and spices for the markets of Spain and the rest of Europe.&nbsp; This is the beginning of what is now the global economy, albeit on a much more modest scale compared to today&#039;s.</p><p><br /></p><p>The Cinquentin, 50 reales, was produced at Segovia using water powered presses.&nbsp; Given the massive size of these coins (mine is 170 grams) only this level of technology was feasible to create sufficient pressure.&nbsp; The dies were engraved by German die masters.</p><p><br /></p><p>Issued in very limited quantities, the 1635 date is actually one of the more &quot;common&quot; dates, with 17 known examples.&nbsp; As would be expected of such as massive coin, edge knocks, flan stress and mishandling is quite commonplace.&nbsp; Fortunately, as side from some minor stress on the central obverse and reverse, this example has been treated with care over the centuries.</p><p><br /></p><p>50 reales, Cincuentin</p><p>Philip IV</p><p>Segovia (Aqueduct)</p><p>Assayer R</p><p>Obverse: Spanish Hapsburg shield, crown above, legend: PHILIPPVS IIII D G, Aqueduct and R to the shield&#039;s left, 50 to the shield&#039;s right.</p><p>Reverse: Castles and lions in quadrant, legend: HISPANIARVM REX 1635.</p><p><br /></p><p>Dav-LS567, KM 81.5, Cayón no. 6590</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1441459[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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