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Kingdom of Spain
Isabel II
40 Reales Gold Coin
西班牙帝國
伊莎貝爾二世
40里爾金幣
Item number: A1586
Year: AD 1864
Material: Gold (.900)
Size: 17.7 x 17.7 x 0.8 mm
Weight: 3.4 g
Manufactured by: Royal Mint of Madrid
Provenance: Fuchin Coin 2016
This is a 40 Reales gold coin minted in AD 1864 by the Royal Mint of Madrid and issued in the name of Queen Isabella II of Spain. At the time, 40 Reales were equivalent to 1 Escudo gold coin, which equalled 4 Escudos in silver coinage and 0.4 Doblón. The official denomination of this coin in legal documents was the 1 Escudo gold coin. However, the face value was marked in Reales, a unit primarily associated with silver and copper alloy coins. This was due to the fixed exchange ratio under the bimetallic standard, where both gold and silver circulated at predetermined rates. Given the widespread circulation of Spanish silver coins, denominating gold coins in Reales facilitated ease of exchange and conversion.
The obverse of the coin features a left-facing portrait of Queen Isabella II, adorned with a laurel wreath. Surrounding the portrait is the inscription “ISABEL 2Ạ POR LA G· DE DIOS Y LA CONST · 1864 ·,” an abbreviation of the Spanish phrase “Isabel II por la Gracia de Dios y la Constitución”, meaning “Isabella II, by the Grace of God and the Constitution.” Below the neckline of the portrait, the initials “L.M.” denote the signature of Luis Marchionni y Hombrón, the Chief Engraver of the Royal Mint of Madrid at the time and the designer of this coin’s imagery.
The reverse depicts the coat of arms of the Bourbon monarchy of Spain. The central shield is quartered: the top left and bottom right quarters feature a three-towered castle, representing the Kingdom of Castile; the top right and bottom left quarters display a crowned rampant lion, symbolising the Kingdom of León. At the pointed base of the shield is a pomegranate with leaves and fruit, signifying the Kingdom of Granada. The central oval escutcheon, adorned with three fleurs-de-lis, represents the Bourbon-Anjou dynasty. Encircling the shield is the Order of the Golden Fleece, above which rests the Spanish royal crown, the entire ensemble draped with a pavilion or mantle. The inscription “REINA DE LAS ESPAÑAS”, translating to “Queen of the Spains”, is displayed above the coat of arms, while “40Rṣ” appears below, indicating the denomination 40 Reales. Flanking the denomination are hexagonal stars, the mintmark of the Royal Mint of Madrid.
In AD 1864, Queen Isabella II undertook what would be her final monetary reform, following a series of previous currency reforms throughout her reign. This reform aimed to establish a decimal-based stable exchange system among gold, silver, and billon coins under the bimetallic standard. However, the reform was soon interrupted by the revolutionary upheaval that followed. Subsequently, the Real, which had served as the primary accounting unit for silver coinage, continued as a nominal unit of account. Meanwhile, gold coinage belonging to the Escudo and Doblón system, including this 40 Reales coin, was gradually replaced by Peseta gold coinage, as Spain transitioned towards the gold standard to align with international trade standards.
The political landscape of Spain under Isabella II was marked by profound turmoil, with intense factional struggles between conservatives and liberals, compounded by the Carlist movement, which repeatedly challenged the legitimacy of Isabella’s reign through civil wars. Furthermore, public opinion towards the queen was largely unfavourable. From AD 1866 onwards, successive agricultural and financial crises exacerbated national instability, culminating in the Glorious Revolution of 1868, which forced Isabella II into exile in France and ushered Spain into the Republican era.
金幣的正面為伊莎貝爾二世,頭戴桂冠,面朝左。周圍環繞著「ISABEL 2Ạ POR LA G· DE DIOS Y LA CONST · 1864 · 」,即西班牙文「Isabel II por la Gracia de Dios y la Constitution」之簡寫,意為「伊莎貝爾二世,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。中央盾徽的左上與右下部分為代表卡斯提爾王國的三尖頂高塔。右上與左下部分,為代表里昂王國的戴冠人立雄獅,底部中央的尖角,則為代表格拉納達王國的石榴葉與果實。中央的橢圓小盾上的三朵百合則代表了王室:波旁-安茹王朝。盾徽周圍環繞金羊毛鏈章,其上則是西班牙王冠,整體披覆華蓋。國徽上方的文字「REINA DE LAS ESPAÑAS」,即西班牙文「西班牙女王」。下方文字「40Rṣ」,即幣值「40里爾」。幣值兩側的六角星,為馬德里皇家鑄幣廠的標記。