Title

Blanca del Agnus Dei. Juan I of Castile

Anonimous

Generic classification

Object

Date

Century

Cultural context / style

Dimensions

Material

Technique

Iconography / Theme

Provenance

Current location

Inventory Number in Current Collection

Object history

During the reign of John I of Castile (1358-1390), there were two distinct monetary periods: the first corresponds to the coinage minted until the defeat at Aljubarrota (1385), and the second to the coinage minted following the conflict with John of Lancaster (Mozo, 2023). In this latter phase, the monarch minted low-grade billon coins called "Blancos" and "Medio Blancos," which were known as "Blancos del Agnus Dei del rey Juan" (Mateu and Llopis, 1951; Orol, 1992).

Of particular interest is the minting of a limited number of high-quality silver reales, distinguished by the presence of a crowned letter "Y" (Beltrán, 1960). This referred to King "Yohanis" or "Yohanes." The inscription "CATA MUNDI MISERERE" ("Have mercy on the world") can be read on the edge of the coin. On the obverse, an Agnus Dei carrying a banner occupies the central motif, surrounded by the legend "AGNUS DEI QVI TOLIS PE" ("Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world"). These iconographic elements, with their marked theocratic and religious character, evoked the divine legitimization of royal power and reinforced the idea of the monarch as sovereign by the grace of God (Mozo, 2023).

This white agnus dei was minted in León (mark: "LE") in the 1380s. We do not know how or when it left the country, but in 1906 it was purchased by the British Museum (London), where it is currently kept.

Description

This coin can be dated to around 1386, a period when John I did not have as much wealth and could not mint coins of great value. Beltrán (1960) states that its value corresponds to that of a common cornado. 

Locations

• ca. 1386

  mint

  León Mint, León (Spain)

• 1906 - present

  museum

  The British Museum, London (United Kingdom)