MUSEO DE ARQUEOLOGICO NACIONAL

On Tuesday (April 26) we had a unique opportunity while visiting the National Archaeological Museum in Madrid. We were allowed to enter the vault where the museum holds its numismatic collection. The collection holds over 300,000 coins. Our purpose was to see coins from the middle ages that were associated with the Camino and the commerce that ran along its length. Most of the coins were from the 11th - 13th centuries; made of both silver and gold. Here is the vault. What you see on the counters are catalogued coins from the vault.

Behind every door there are treasures. Though we were there to see the coinage from the Camino, we had the extra luck to also see coins that had been minted in the 4th century ACE with the profile of Alexander the Great (two of which I held in my hand for a brief moment!).

We learned a lot about how the coins were minted. Because the Camino attracted people from all over Europe there wasn't a single currency until some of the kings in Spain began to provide the means for local coinage to be made and used. The "Christian" coins always had a cross on one side and a Crismon on the other. 

All the coins were relatively small and very thin since they were not poured from molten ore but were stamped pieces. For that reason the shapes were often irregular. In the 12th century you began to see the likeness of the rulers stamped on the coins. The most interesting was one with Queen Urraca that was minted in Toledo. It is unusual because in order for her image to appear on the coin there had to be a granting of permission from the ruler. As a women she might not have had equal consideration but as a powerful queen the permission was given and the coin minted.

The Crismon (Chi-Rho) was a typical symbol associated with Christianity. 

Below are some of the coins that we saw.

Oldest of the coins that we saw.

The was a "fake" or imitation of the coinage minted by the Arabic gold coinage seen below.

 

Here you see the Crisom (Chi-Rho) symbol.

(Bottom) Minted during the reign of Alfonso VII, King of Castilla and Leon (12th century)

This one has the "Tree of Jesse" on the back

This coin also has a version of the "Tree of Jesse" on the back.

The inverse of the King King Æthelred the Unready (c. 980)

The face on this coin is that of King Æthelred the Unready (c. 980)

The center of this coin holds the crest of Castilla and León. Minted in the 12 century.

This is a coin from Great Britain. The ship signifies the countries dominance of the ocean.

Note that in the center you will see wording in both Spanish and Arabic