Title
The Silver Real. Pedro I of Castile
Generic classification
NumismaticsObject
CoinDate
ca. 1363Century
Third quarter of the 14th c.Cultural context / style
Reign of Pedro I of CastileDimensions
0,03 inMaterial
SilverTechnique
CoinageIconography / Theme
Pedro I de CastillaProvenance
Burgos Mint (Burgos, Spain)Current location
The British Museum (London, United Kingdom)Inventory Number in Current Collection
1906,1105.42Object history
Pedro I of Castile (1334-1369) was the first to mint a fine silver coin in Castile (Martín, 1997). There had been some previous attempts by other monarchs, such as Alfonso X, but the scarcity of silver affected its implementation and the project was eventually abandoned (Álvarez, 1998). Within the Castilian monetary system, the silver real had an approximate value of 3 maravedís (Ladero, 2000; Oliva, 2022).
On the obverse of the coin is a phrase taken from the Psalms: "DOMINVS MICHI ADIVTOR ET EGO DISPICICIAM INIMICOS MEOS"("The Lord is with me and helps me: I will see my adversaries defeated"). Also, in the center of the coin is his initial ("P") crowned. According to Gómez (1996; 2006), Peter I used this expression repeatedly during his reign, as can be seen on the doors of the Ambassadors' Hall in the Alcázar of Seville.
On the reverse side, we can read another inscription:"PETRUS REX CASTELLE ET LEGIONI"("Peter, King of Castile and León"). In the center, in a quatrefoil space, there are two castles and two lions, emblems of the crown (Castillo, 1991). Below the heraldic emblem is the mark of the mint where it was minted (Oliva, 2022).
Although the British Museum (London) claims that the coin was minted in León, its "B" mark indicates that it comes from Burgos, one of the three mints where it was minted (La Coruña, Seville, and Burgos). We do not know how or when it left the country, but in 1906 it was acquired by the British Museum (London), where it remains today.
Description
This silver real can be dated to around 1363, a time when Peter I of Castile had virtually no opposition. The monarch wanted to showcase his success and decided to mint a coin that could circulate among all social classes. Its high silver content underscored the strength of the Kingdom of Castile (Oliva, 2022).
Locations
ca. 1363
ca. 1906 - present
Bibliography
- ÁLVAREZ BURGOS, Fernando; RAMÓN BENEDITO, Vicente J. y RAMÓN PÉREZ, Vicente (1998): Catálogo de la Moneda Medieval castellano-leonesa, siglos XI al XIV, Vico-Segarra, Madrid.
- CASTILLO CÁCERES, Fernando (1991): "Los símbolos del poder real en las monedas de Pedro I de Castilla", en Actas del VII Congreso Nacional de Numismática, Museo Casa de la Moneda, Madrid, pp. 505-516.
- GÓMEZ RAMOS, Rafael (1996): El Alcázar del rey don Pedro, Sevilla, Diputación provincial de Sevilla, Sevilla.
- GÓMEZ RAMOS, Rafael (2006): "Iconología de Pedro I de Castilla", nº 33, Historia. Instituciones, Documentos, pp. 61-80.
- LADERO QUESADA, Miguel Ángel (2000): "Monedas y políticas monetarias en la Corona de Castilla (siglos XIII a XV), en Moneda y monedas en la Europa medieval (siglos XII-XV)", en XXVI Semana de Estudios Medievales, Gobierno de Navarra, Pamplona, pp. 129-178.
- MARTÍN PEÑATO, María José (1997): "La política monetaria en Castilla: Pedro I el Cruel y los Trastámara", nº 3, Anales toledanos, pp. 67-88.
- OLIVA MANSO, Gonzalo (2022): "El real de plata de Pedro I de Castilla. Entre el prestigio y la necesidad (c. 1363-1369)", vol. 52, nº 2, Anuario de Estudios Medievales, pp. 773-797.
Record manager
Isabel Escalera FernándezCitation:
Isabel Escalera Fernández, "The Silver Real. Pedro I of Castile" in Nostra et Mundi. Cultural Heritage from Castile and Leon around the world, Fundación Castilla y León, 2025. https://inventario.nostraetmundi.com/en/work/522
The Silver Real
