Connecting to my heritage through coins

A bit of background. My heritage/family history is from Colombia (I myself was born here in the USA). I kind of know the general history of Colombia, like how it was settled by the Spanish, when it declared independence, how it's had like 4 or 5 different names, the terrible civil violence in the late 1940s-50s, the rebel groups, etc. Numismatically I never really got into Colombian coinage, aside from bringing back coins and bills from there (I still have them but I can't see myself parting with them, even though I don't exactly "collect" them).

Then one day recently I found myself reading about Colombia's colonial history, and wondered about the kinds of Spanish coins that circulated, that my ancestors would have used and been familiar with. Unfortunately for me, a few searches taught me that Spanish coins from Colombian mints such as Bogota and Popayan don't come cheap. So I turned towards the next best thing: coins from Lima, in Peru. I figure since Lima is the closest of the Spanish colonial mints to Colombia (not a really huge distance but not down the street either), its large output of coins, and since Spanish coins were accepted basically everywhere (even outside of the empire), that the coin I bought could have found its way north to be used by loyal colonists in today's Colombia. I also see a bit of a connection with US history with my coin, since it was Spanish coinage like this that helped fund the Revolutionary War and thus secure America's independence (Spain allied with the United States against Britain, its longtime rival, and America's struggle later helped inspire revolutionary leaders in Spanish South America to seek independence of their own).

I am not able to trace my family as far as the colonial period of Colombia (furthest I've gotten is the late 1800s with my great-great grandparents, specifically possibly 1870s if my assumptions about their ages are correct), but I can see myself and my heritage reflected in my newest acquisition.


(click to enlarge)

Some facts:

• The coin depicts King Charles (Carlos) III of Spain, who was also King of Sicily and Naples. Charles ruled (as Spanish king) from 1759 to 1788. He implemented reforms throughout his empire, weakened Church influence, promoted research and science, and expanded trade. In 1734 he conquered Sicily and Naples, and was the Spanish king that lent support to the American colonists. Minorca and West Florida were reconquered by the Spanish from Britain during the Revolutionary War.

• It is a 2 reales coin, made of silver, struck at the Lima mint in 1780. It is 27 mm wide.

• The obverse reads: CAROLUS . IIII . DEI . GRATIA . 1780 - "Charles the Third, by the Grace of God, 1780"

• ... and the reverse reads: HISPAN[IARUM]. ET IND[IARUM]. REX. LIMAE [Monogram]. 2 R[EALES] M.I.[name of assayer] - "King of the Spains and the Indies, Lima [mint]". The name Lima is written as a monogram.
• the reverse depicts the crowned Spanish arms between the Pillars of Hercules, the arms adorned with a ribbon with the motto PLVS VLTRA ("further beyond").

• Spanish America lasted from 1492 with Columbus's discovery of the Americas, to 1898 with Spain's cessation of Cuba and Puerto Rico to the United States due to the Spanish-American War.

• Colombia is named after Christopher Columbus, his name in Spanish being Cristobal Colon.

• The trigger for the Spanish American wars of independence was the French occupation of Spain during the Napoleonic Wars of the early 19th century. Cut off from central Spanish authority, the Spanish colonies established autonomous juntas that nominally recognized the crown, but later on sought full independence.

• Colombia declared its independence on July 20, 1810. Before, during the colonial era, the country was known as the Viceroyalty of New Granada, which also included Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama. Independence was finally won in 1819.

• The Spanish Empire included at one point or another, parts of Europe, Mexico, much of the United States, Central America, Spanish-speaking South America, some territories in Africa, several Pacific islands, and the Philippines. It has had a strong influence on the language, culture, religion, arts, politics, law, and infrastructure of many of the areas it controlled.

• The conquistadors led much of the charge in conquering the Americas for Spain.

• Simon Bolivar was the main leader of the independence movements in Colombia (which included Panama), Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru. He is sometimes called the "George Washington of South America". Bolivar served as Colombia's first president (when the country was part of "Gran Colombia" [Great Colombia]).

King Charles III:



Spanish Empire in the Americas:



Spain's Cross of Burgundy flag:



Map of the viceroyalties of New Granada and Peru, respectively:





Spanish soldiers of the 18th century (the second one depicts the Spanish attack on British-held Pensacola, Florida, in 1781):






Small town Colombia, looking very much as it would have in the colonial era (not my photo):



Life in the colonial era:

 

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Wow !
Thanks for the writting and history lesson

Q

 

Yes, cool history and writting

 

Well this is certainly interesting!
My mother and I are Spanish, as in born in Spain, but she has a large amount of family in Colombia. Many of them fled Franco's purges in the 1950's and 60's. My only remaining grandmother lives in Bogota, specifically Santa Rita.
Lovely coin and write up!

 

Fascinating and very cool!!!

I still retain a few coins of the general type, despite selling all of my previous 'assortment' of moderns years ago.

Dang, I'd have to purchase a bunch of German and Gaelic issues to connect with my heritage---but then I imagine what a vast assortment of coins most of my 'modern' relations would need ....talk about 'mutts' LOL

 

My dads side is from spain, we even have a coat of arms, which he has on the wall.

I have several of these, even an 8 reales of Chuck III. I don't have a 4 reales though. No pics as it's put away with the rest of them.

 

Well done. You always win with Maps and Pics, but also the write-up was good. One of my Product Managers was from Peru, and upon my leaving that company I had found an early 1800's Quarter Real with Peru and a LLama on the coin. I got two: one for him, one for my collection. I was very aware of all the history you wrote up, but you did a great job bringing it all to life!

I am Celtic/German in heritage... the BANE of the Romans...

 

Great writeup @ValiantKnight . Thank you.

 

As far as ethnicity is concerned I like to think of myself as Stilicho, half Roman and half barbarian. My father's side of the family is a mixture of English, French, and Dutch. While my mother's side is Spanish and Italian. I take after my mother as far as looks go, ex dark skin color, hair color, and "short" height.

 

Very interesting history, nice coin, thanks!

 

Very nicely done!

There's a person I bike with occasionally who married a Colombian. She and her family are going down to visit the in-laws for a couple of weeks. Wonder if I should've asked her to bring back some (contemporary) coins and currency...

 

Excellent piece. It brings up another collecting theme - coins of our heritage. I'm going to have to look into that. My family is professionally traced back to the Mayflower and slightly earlier

 

Nice coin and write up. I collect Sicilian and Italian coins and I have a number of coins from King Charles III when he was king of Naples and Sicily. In Italy he was called Carlo III di Borbone. He lived in Naples during his reign in Southern Italy. When he left Naples in 1859 to become king of the Spanish empire his son Ferdinando became king of Naples and Sicily

 

I was born in Cuba. My paternal grandparents were from Spain, from Sabadell, in the Catalonian region of Spain. From my maternal side, I am part Asturian, part Canary Islander. My handle in this forum, Sallent (my last name), is Catalonian.

 

Bravo!

Writing such as you have shared really brings life to your 2 reales struck in Lima.

 

Thanks all for the comments and likes!

My ancient Spanish ancestors could have been Celtic, and I might possibly have some German in me as well, since the Visigoths were the masters of Spain for close to three centuries. Maybe even Arab/Berber also, from their long domination of Spain.

Hopefully one day I can do a family history project. I've already taken the first steps.

I'd say go for it for sure! While like I mentioned they aren't really my cup of tea, the newest series of Colombia coins have images of some of the country's plants and animals,and look way better IMO than the old designs. Only one I wasn't able to find while over there a couple of years ago was the 500 pesos but then again I wasn't looking too hard.

Good luck with your search!

My last name is Catalonian as well, and my mother's family's last name is Basque in origin. My great great grandmother's last name on my father's side is also Basque.

 

Very nice!

The history of our world through coins--probably one of the main reasons I collect.

When I was in the Navy (back in the 70's), I visited Manila and bought a 1 and 2 Reales piece. I will someday obtain an 8-Reales, pre-portrait (1770's?). And a COB...

Thank you so much for sharing.

 

Inventory...

Scarce Date Spanish Piece of Eight 1721 mint of Potosi, Bolivia. The assayer is Diego de Ybarbouru. This was recovered from the wreck of the Indiaman Rooswijk owned and operated by the Dutch VOC. It went down in a storm on Jan. 9, 1740 on Goodwin Sands off the coast of Kent, UK.

The coin is 40 mm x 24.10 grams

 

I also have an earlier one tag says 1687 and is 25.4 grams

 

Awesome write-up, Jango ... thanks for the great coin-effort!! (it is very cool that you are so interested in your Colombian roots and that you're so proud to represent your peeps)

Unfortunately, I would have to post a whole lotta coins to cover my Heinz-57 background (there is actually a rumour going around that I may have been raised by wolves ... but sadly, most of the wolf packs didn't mint their own coins)

Oh, but I will post this ancient wolf coin, just in case this was from my ancient wolf pack ... grrrrr, go Laranda!!

Lycaonia, Laranda, AR Obol
Date: 4th cent. BC
Diameter: 10.6 mm
Weight: 0.4 grams
Obverse: Baal seated, holding grain ear, grape bunch, and scepter
Reverse: Forepart of wolf, crescent above



Okay sure, maybe I'm stretching the truth a tiny bit and trying to make my family-tree seem a bit more interesting ... ya caught me

Oh, but again Jango => congrats on your awesome thread (it's great when people pour themselves into their posts)