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Modern Spanish Coins and their Dates

Started by Prosit, October 27, 2010, 01:54:20 AM

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Prosit

I know that Spain has a lot of coins that have a date on them and then the actual date of issue is in very small print in two stars on the coins.  So, anyone know WHY they chose to do that?

<k>

#1
I don't know the answer to your question, but it's a fine coin. On the reverse I see the symbol, known as the yoke and arrows, of Franco's political movement, the Falange:



I'd never noticed this before on a Spanish coin. It doesn't appear on later coins, but at what point was it dropped?
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

chrisild

Quote from: dalehall on October 27, 2010, 01:54:20 AM
I know that Spain has a lot of coins that have a date on them and then the actual date of issue is in very small print in two stars on the coins.  So, anyone know WHY they chose to do that?

Don't have an answer, but I guess that the year (the one that can be read easily) referred to the authorization of a particular denomination/design. The actual year (in tiny digits, often abbreviated) was then added for quality control reasons ...

By the way, "modern" as in the topic title sounds a little strange to me. ;) They stopped doing that about 30 years ago.

Christian

chrisild

Quote from: E.M.U. on October 27, 2010, 04:57:48 AM
I'd never noticed this before on a Spanish coin. It doesn't appear on later coins, but at what point was it dropped?

During the democratization, I think. Just had a look at some 100 pesetas coins (primarily because they are big, with easily visible details :) ), and the Franco piece (dated 1966) sure has it. The very first 100 ptas coin with Juan Carlos (1975) has that symbol too; the next one (1980) does not have it any more.

Christian

izotz

Christian is right.

The date in the stars is the issue year. The date in big numbers is the authorization date.
They needed an authorization to issue a new type. They considered that a new year was someway a new type. To avoid this legal matter, they "invented" the trick to show the issue year in the star (stars had been often used to show the mint of the coin, depending on its shape) so no new authorization was needed.
This worked until 1982, when they did not consider that changing the year was a new type, so it was easier for everybody.

Prosit

"""The date in the stars is the issue year. The date in big numbers is the authorization date.""""

I was aware of that but wondered why.  Your answer seems to explaine it.

Thanks to all!  Interesting coins and interesting subject.

Dale


Quote from: izotz on October 27, 2010, 01:24:00 PM
Christian is right.

The date in the stars is the issue year. The date in big numbers is the authorization date.
They needed an authorization to issue a new type. They considered that a new year was someway a new type. To avoid this legal matter, they "invented" the trick to show the issue year in the star (stars had been often used to show the mint of the coin, depending on its shape) so no new authorization was needed.
This worked until 1982, when they did not consider that changing the year was a new type, so it was easier for everybody.

Prosit

Modern for me has a moving non-precise meaning...but generally I would consider coins minted after WWII to be fairly modern.  However if we were talking Ancients, modern might mean anything after 1500 or non-cob type coins.  Think context would determine.  A modern car might be the last few years.  Modern style in clothing might mean the last 6 months   ;D  Think it varies too much to pin down very closely.

Dale



Quote from: chrisild on October 27, 2010, 11:26:25 AM
......By the way, "modern" as in the topic title sounds a little strange to me. ;) They stopped doing that about 30 years ago.
Christian

chrisild

One time in a conversation with friends of mine from California, I said something about churches from around 1900 (Gothic Revival, etc.) not being "really old". Of course what I had in mind was the architecture at that time often "imitated" medieval styles, but they laughed hard. I agree - it's all relative. ;D

Christian

izotz

There are some coins with the date in the stars which are not so "modern".

I finally found what I was looking for :
http://bencoins.com/partes-moneda.htm

Here it talks about the different parts of the coin. I will post a free translation. Sorry my English is not good :

Date of issue : You can find it incuse in two stars. In the past, the star showed the mintmark, depending on the number of points of the star. Some of those were Madrid: 6, Barcelona: 8, Sevilla: 7, Jubia: 4, Segovia: 3. Since 1868, from the begining of Provisional Government, the stars showed incuse the issue date (...)

Prosit


Thanks!  My Spanish is similar to my German, I can generally read it but it takes some effort
and usually I don't bother...I tend to skim both languages to see what I can pick up in general and not worry about specifics until I find a
interesting part then have to do a little research on thjat part.  Can't speak any of either.

Dale



Quote from: izotz on October 27, 2010, 03:30:33 PM
There are some coins with the date in the stars which are not so "modern".

I finally found what I was looking for :
http://bencoins.com/partes-moneda.htm

Here it talks about the different parts of the coin. I will post a free translation. Sorry my English is not good :

Date of issue : You can find it incuse in two stars. In the past, the star showed the mintmark, depending on the number of points of the star. Some of those were Madrid: 6, Barcelona: 8, Sevilla: 7, Jubia: 4, Segovia: 3. Since 1868, from the begining of Provisional Government, the stars showed incuse the issue date (...)

Figleaf

Quote from: izotz on October 27, 2010, 01:24:00 PM
The date in the stars is the issue year. The date in big numbers is the authorization date.
They needed an authorization to issue a new type. They considered that a new year was someway a new type. To avoid this legal matter, they "invented" the trick to show the issue year in the star (stars had been often used to show the mint of the coin, depending on its shape) so no new authorization was needed.
This worked until 1982, when they did not consider that changing the year was not a new type, so it was easier for everybody.

Good explanation, except that some types are known with more than one date.

Peter
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.

goossen

Can you explain more Peter ? I didn't understand you comment.  ???

Figleaf

Take as an example KM 775. They come with authorization dates 1946-1963 (4 dates) and calender dates 1948-1967. A few calendar dates even have different authorization dates. It's all possible, if the authorizations are short term and especially if there is a fiscal year, different from the calendar year.

Peter
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.

goossen

I think this is related to the "law" making the coins "legal tender". I don't know if this will be understood in English but in Spanish we have two terms:

Emisión: Issue.
&
Acuñación: Mintage, coinage.

I'll try to explain part of a "Issue, coinage and circulation act":

The government authorize the Central Bank to Mint "in one or many parcels" coins up to $10,000,000.

So, the issue part is: make coins up to 10,000,000.
The mintage part is done in several parcels, maybe more than a year.
And the "put into circulation" is done according to the needs.

The well visible date is the "issue date" and the date in the star is the "mint date".

If something is not clear let me know and I'll do my best to explain. :)

Enlil

The Equatorial Guinea peseta and ekuele also had the same date system.