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.

物件編號: A1586

年代: 公元 1864 年

材質: 黃金 (900‰)

尺寸: 17.7 x 17.7 x 0.8 mm

重量: 3.4 g

製造地: 馬德里皇家鑄幣廠

來源: 福君錢幣 2016

這是一枚公元1864年,由馬德里皇家鑄幣廠鑄造,以西班牙女王伊莎貝爾二世的名義發行的40里爾金幣。在當時,40里爾等於1埃斯庫多(Escudo)金幣等於4埃斯庫多(Escudo)銀幣等於0.4多烏隆(Doblón)。該金幣在法令中的名稱為1埃斯庫多金幣,以銀銅合金里爾標註面額是因為在金銀複本位制下,金銀採固定的兌換比例,同時西班牙銀幣流通廣泛,便於換算。

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。

公元1864年,已經多次推行貨幣改革政策的伊莎貝拉二世,進行了其任內最後一次貨幣改革,希望能使金銀複本位下的三種金屬幣能以十進制穩定兌換,但很快被革命中斷。此後,作為銀幣計價單位的里爾轉為會計計價單位繼續存在,但與該金幣類似,屬於埃斯庫多與多烏隆體系的金幣,逐漸被比塞塔金幣所取代,西班牙也逐漸轉向金本位制,以接軌國際貿易。

伊莎貝拉二世治下的西班牙政治動盪,既有保守派和自由派的黨爭劇烈,更有卡洛斯王黨宣稱王位,多次掀起內戰。女王本人的輿論形象亦不受民眾歡迎。自公元1866年起,數次的農業與金融危機爆發,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。

類似/相同物件 請看:

美國 錢幣學會 American Numismatic Society

https://numismatics.org/collection/1937.159.32

美國 耶魯大學美術館 Yale University Art Gallery

https://artgallery.yale.edu/collections/objects/201286

更多相關訊息請參考:

https://www.museocasadelamoneda.es/en/exposicion-permanente/visita-guiada/el-siglo-xix

https://www.coinsofisabel2.com/2nd-decimal-period.html

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Isabella-II-queen-of-Spain

奥克塔维奥·吉尔·法雷斯著,宋海译,《西班牙货币史》,中国金融出版社,2019。

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