The territorial expansion of the Crown of Aragon in the course of the thirteenth century brought with it a need to mint coins of a higher value than those in circulation at the time. James I the Conqueror had already manufactured large coins of good silver in Montpellier. His son and successor, Peter II the Great, also had one minted in Barcelona in 1285, the croat, which made use of the same designs as Barcelona's billon coins. The obverse shows the crowned effigy of the king, surrounded by his name, and the reverse bears a cross with rings and dots, along with the name of the issuing city.