Monetary treasures in the medieval and modern Crown of Aragon

Among the diversity of uses that are recognised in coins, the one that stands out is that of allowing wealth to be accumulated. Most often it is in the form of temporary monetary deposits, either in private hands or in those of public authorities. This temporality causes the coin saved at a certain time to run from hand to hand again. Sometimes, however, some monetary deposits are lost or not recovered, and then, as closed collections of coins, they become treasures in the monetary sense and, consequently, valuable archaeological evidence

The notion of treasure from a numismatic perspective has nothing to do, therefore, with the value, quantity or rarity of the pieces, but with the fact that they constitute an intact portion of the circulation and savings of the coins at a given time. The diversity of treasures in a numismatic sense is very wide: some have thousands of large pieces, while others only have a few small coins, the result of a small concealment or the accidental loss of a purse. It does not matter. Be that as it may, they all provide an invaluable amount of information, which is added to the actual finding of the pieces. From here derives the drama that represents the dispersion of a monetary treasure.

In the holding of this year's seminar, attention is focused on four very different examples of the accumulation of coins, their hiding and their recovery, in whole or in part, many centuries later. The final aim is to raise awareness of the scope of the numismatic concept of treasure and its importance in the knowledge of the circulation of currency at a given time, beyond the pieces found.

PROGRAMME

• Tuesday, 23rd May

Regarding a concealment of gold guilders of Aragon from Vic

Albert Estrada-Rius, Numismatic Cabinet of Catalonia

A unique repository of Barcelona crusaders: the treasure of the Carrer de la Llibertat (València) 

Miquel Sánchez Signes, Municipal Archeology Department of Llíria Town Council (València)

• Thursday, 25th May

A treasure from the beginning of the 18th century in Sant Boi de Lluçanès

Maria Clua, Numismatic Cabinet of Catalonia

The load of Castilian currency from the derelict of the Estanyol beach (Sitges). Study and conservation challenges

Àngels Casanovas and Isabel Moreno, Museum of Archeology of Catalonia

Coordination: Dr. Albert Estrada-Rius, chief conservator of the Numismatic Cabinet of Catalonia of the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya

#numismàtica