Spain: The coins of Guernica

[Figleaf]

Between 1936 and 1939, Spain imploded in a bloody and emotional civil war, mixing communism, anarchism, national socialism and murderous anti-church policies. Poor Spain got away with Franco and a neutral status in the second world war.

Basque country largely fought with the Republicans, but opposed their anti-clericalism. On 26th April 1937, one of the infamous highlights was committed, the bombing of Guernica, a town in Basque country by a squadron of 28 He 51 bombers of the Condor legion. This was the inspiration for Picasso's painting.



Catalonia and Basque country had been granted autonomy in 1932. The Basque population is spread over Spain and France. It is of Celtic descent and even today the Spanish part is politically unstable due to claims for independence from Spain. This coin was struck in 1937, the year of Guernica. It shows strong French influence, with a Marianne-like liberty and it is professionally produced. It is not issued in the name of any side, but in the name of the government of Basque country.

Peter

[izotz]

Interesting post and acquisition This is a great example of how numismatics and history get very tight.

As you know, I come from Basque Country and it is quite familiar for me to see Picasso's painting. Although it may seem strange at first sight, I think it is a great work. It is very impressive if you see it live in "Reina Sofía" museum in Madrid, much better than photos.

It's funny that you get a "collection" completed when get just two coins (1 and 2 pesetas)

[translateltd]

I also believe these were struck in Brussels, so are a step removed from the other emergency local issues produced during the Spanish Civil War.

[chrisild]

It is very impressive if you see it live in "Reina Sofía" museum in Madrid, much better than photos.

Been there, "done" that. I was impressed not just by the work itself but also by the way it is presented there. It basically has one hall for itself.

Guess you know the story of that German general who asked Picasso whether he had "created that". Picasso is said to have replied, "No, you created that." Se non è vero ...

Christian

[chrisild]

I also believe these were struck in Brussels, so are a step removed from the other emergency local issues produced during the Spanish Civil War.

Brussels is what the Schön says too. I have a Spanish catalog which does indeed differentiate between "II República" coins and "Guerra Civil" coins. Seems that the Basque coins were issued based on a Republican decree that allowed the Consejos Regionales and the Autonomías to issue money that would circulate along with the money issued by the central government. While the Civil War emergency issues do look fairly crude, most of these regional coins (Santander/Palencia/Burgos, Asturias/León, Euzkadi) look more professionally done.

Christian

[Figleaf]

What could the logo under the head be?

Peter

[chrisild]

Next question please.   First I thought it could be the designer's initials, "EB" maybe, but here we learn that Debajo de la cara se observa el símbolo de la ceca de Bruselas. Hmmm, does not look like the Brussels mint mark to me.

Christian

[BC Numismatics]

The entity's correct name was the Viscayan Republic.'Euzkadi' is just the Basque way of saying 'Viscayan'.

Aidan.

[izotz]

The entity's correct name was the Viscayan Republic.'Euzkadi' is just the Basque way of saying 'Viscayan'.

Aidan.

Not at all. 

"Viscaya" is an incorrect term for it. Let's say that "Vizcaya" is just a part of the Basque Country (Euskadi) or Euzkadi that you can read on the coin. The funny part of it is that I was born in Vitoria (Alava), the capital of the Basque Country. So it would be similar that you said to a London citizen that you have a one pound coin in your want list, and you place it in the "Scottish country" :-D . Anyway I suppose that is the way that some catalogs may speak about it (as Krause do).

They were minted in Brussels. I can't confirm whether that is Brussels mint mark in those days, but I have seen that comment in a pair of web pages.

[chrisild]

Hmm, I had wondered about that too ... from what I have learned, Vizcaya or Bizkaia is one of the provinces that form the Basque autonomous region. Thus "Euzkadi" certainly covers more than this one province. On the other hand, wasn't it actually Vizcaya that issued these coins? This Spanish catalog that I mentioned says: "Con fecha 1937 se acuñaron monedas de níquel de 1 y 2 pesetas a nombre del Gobierno de Euzkadi, antes de que fuera tomada Bilbao por las tropas de Franco, en junio de 1937." So the coins were minted in the name of the Basque government before Bilbao was taken by Franco's troops. But in early 1937 Vizcaya was the only Basque region in Spain that was still Republican. So in a way these are Viscayan coins, I'd say. Terribly wrong, not quite right, or perfectly correct?

The Schön catalog lists the Basque coins in a short paragraph at the end of the Spain section. The German/Spanish paragraph header says "Baskenland / País Vasco" and is followed by the triligual three-liner "Baskische Republik / Gobierno Autónomo de Euzkadi / Euzkadi'ko Jaurbaritza". And all that for two coins, hehe ...

Christian

[translateltd]

From a purely linguistic perspective, it would appear that Basque, Biscay, Viscaya/Vizcaya and the "Eusk/Euzk" of the concocted word "Euzkadi" all have a common origin:

http://tinyurl.com/qfjt5q

and also this:

(5) Euzkadi (euskádi), neologismo inventado por Sabino Arana que consideraba, que la forma Euskal Herria (euskál érri-á; "tierra del euskara", que es la manera en la que han llamado los vascoparlantes a su tierra desde la época visigótica, independientemente, del territorio al que pertenezcan), no era apropiada para designar a la nación vasca y entonces inventó la palabra Euzkadi que significa: tierra de los vascos. El hecho de escribirlo con z, viene de que Sabino Arana consideraba que la raíz eusk- (vasco) se debía escribir con z (euzk-) por que era una contracción de la palabra e(g)uzk(iko) [egúskikó; del sol] y basaba esta etimología, en que los antiguos vascos adoraban a la diosa Mari tambien conocida como Maia o Ama-Lur (madre tierra), cuyo símbolo cósmico era el sol, y su representación gráfica, el disco solar llamado lauburu (laubúru, tetracéfalo, éste símbolo lo puede observar al comienzo de la página web en la que usted se encuentra, a la izquierda y a la derecha del título).

(from http://www.kondaira.net/esp/THistoriaII.html)

Of course, what happens in the reality of history, geography and politics is an entirely different matter!

[BC Numismatics]

Not at all. 

"Viscaya" is an incorrect term for it. Let's say that "Vizcaya" is just a part of the Basque Country (Euskadi) or Euzkadi that you can read on the coin. The funny part of it is that I was born in Vitoria (Alava), the capital of the Basque Country. So it would be similar that you said to a London citizen that you have a one pound coin in your want list, and you place it in the "Scottish country" :-D . Anyway I suppose that is the way that some catalogs may speak about it (as Krause do).

They were minted in Brussels. I can't confirm whether that is Brussels mint mark in those days, but I have seen that comment in a pair of web pages.

Izotz,
  I had always thought Bilbao was the capital of the Basque Country.After all,Bilbao is very well-known for its football team.

Aidan.

[translateltd]

Izotz,
  I had always thought Bilbao was the capital of the Basque Country.After all,Bilbao is very well-known for its football team.

Aidan.

... in the same way that Manchester is the capital of England, of course ...

[BC Numismatics]

... in the same way that Manchester is the capital of England, of course ...

Martin,
  Manchester has never been the capital of England,which is obviously London.

Aidan.

[translateltd]

Martin,
  Manchester has never been the capital of England,which is obviously London.

Aidan.

So having a famous football team *isn't* the only criterion for being the capital city then, as your earlier posting about Bilbao seems to suggest?