Item number: A1491

Year: AD 1868

Material: Gold

Size: 16.5 x 16.5 mm

Manufactured by: Manila Mint

Provenance: Stack’s Bowers 2024

This is a 2-peso gold coin issued in AD 1868 by the Spanish Empire under the administration of the Captaincy General of the Philippines.

The obverse of the coin features Isabella II, crowned with a laurel wreath, facing left. Encircling the portrait is the inscription “ISABEL 2! POR LA G· DE DIOS Y LA CONST · 1868 ·,” a Spanish abbreviation for “Isabel II por la Gracia de Dios y la Constitución”, which translates to “Isabella II, by the Grace of God and the Constitution.” Below the neckline of the portrait appears the initials “L.M.,” representing Luis Marchionni y Hombrón, the then-chief engraver of the Madrid Mint and the designer of the coin.

The reverse side of the coin depicts the coat of arms of the Spanish Bourbon dynasty. The second and fourth quadrants of the central shield feature a tower, representing Castile, while the first and third quadrants show a crowned standing lion, symbolising León. At the base of the shield, a pomegranate with leaves represents Granada. The central oval shield bears three fleurs-de-lis, denoting the reigning royal house of Bourbon-Anjou. Above the shield rests the Spanish royal crown, flanked by the Pillars of Hercules, a classical reference to the Strait of Gibraltar. The ribbon encircling the columns is inscribed with the Latin phrase “PLUS ULTRA,” meaning “Further Beyond,” signifying Spain’s overseas territories. Above the coat of arms, the inscription “REINA DE LAS ESPAÑAS” translates to “Queen of the Spains,” while below, “FILIPINAS” denotes “the Philippines.” Across the middle of the reverse, the text “2P.” indicates the coin’s denomination of 2 pesos.

The Casa de Moneda de Manila (Manila Mint) was inaugurated in AD 1861, partly to utilise the Philippines’ abundant mineral resources and to address the colony’s chronic currency shortage. Following the AD 1848 California Gold Rush and the subsequent global adoption of the gold standard, precious metals—predominantly gold—were syphoned off to the United States and central governments worldwide. This economic shift necessitated the establishment of local mints in overseas territories, weakening the financial ties between colonies and their metropole. Consequently, much of the gold mined and minted in colonies was transported back to the metropoles, leaving colonies primarily reliant on silver and copper coinage.

The issuance of the AD 1868 gold coin might also have served as a demonstration of political authority during a period of political turmoil. That year marked the final year of Isabella II’s reign. Beginning in AD 1866, successive agricultural and financial crises culminated in the Glorious Revolution of AD 1868, forcing Isabella II into exile in France and ushering in the republican period in Spain.

物件編號: A1491

年代: 公元 1868 年

材質: 黃金

尺寸: 16.5 x 16.5 mm

製造地: 馬尼拉鑄幣廠

來源: SBP錢幣拍賣 2024

這是一枚公元1868年，西班牙帝國菲律賓總督府所發行的2披索金幣。

金幣的正面為伊莎貝拉二世，頭戴桂冠，面朝左。周圍環繞著「ISABEL 2! POR LA G· DE DIOS Y LA CONST · 1861 · 」，即西班牙文「Isabel II por la Gracia de Dios y la Constitution」之簡寫，為「伊莎貝拉二世，蒙上帝與憲法之恩典」。人像的脖子下端有小字「L.M.」，為時任馬德里鑄幣廠總雕刻師，該硬幣圖案的設計者，路易斯·馬爾奇奧尼·伊·翁布隆(Luis Marchionni y Hombrón)的署名。

金幣的背面是西班牙波旁王朝的國徽，中央盾徽的第二與第四象限為代表卡斯提爾的高塔，第一與第四象限為代表里昂的戴冠站立雄獅，底部中央的尖角則為代表格拉納達的石榴葉與果實。中央的橢圓小盾上的三朵百合則代表了現任的王室：波旁-安茹王朝。其上是西班牙王冠，兩側是海格力斯之柱，直布羅陀海峽的古稱。柱間飾帶上書拉丁短語「PLUS ULTRA」，意即「大海之外，還有領土」。國徽上方的文字「REINA DE LAS ESPAÑAS」，即西班牙文「西班牙女王」，下方的「FILIPINAS」即「菲律賓」。中部由左到右橫槓的文字「2P.」，即幣值「2披索」。

公元1861年，馬尼拉鑄幣廠(Casa de Moneda de Manila)啟用，其一為就地利用菲律賓豐富的礦產，其二是為了緩解殖民地通貨不足的現況。自公元1848年加州淘金盛行，加以各國陸續進行金本位改革，以黃金為主的貴金屬大量被虹吸至美國與各國中央政府。這使海外領土須自行鑄幣，削弱了殖民地與宗主國間的連結。海外的黃金礦產與金幣大部分也被運回宗主國，殖民地則以白銀和銅幣為主。

公元1868年的金幣也可能是為了在政治危機中展示政治權威，該年同時也是伊莎貝拉二世統治的最後一年。自公元1866年起，數次的農業與金融危機最終導致了公元1868年的光榮革命，伊莎貝拉二世流亡法國，西班牙進入了共和時期。