| Everyone who has been to school has, at
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| | debasement aggravated by the growth of
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| some point, learned about the Age of
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| | long distance trade. Coins sailed away in
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| Discovery. It's been a favorite of high
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| | Dutch trading ships to the East, never to
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| school history teachers from time
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| | return. Coinage was stretched to the
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| immemorial (probably back to the Age
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| | limit. The desire to trade spurred a need
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| of... Discovery.)
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| | for money - for finding new deposits of
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| On its face, the study of what happened
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| | silver and gold to mine.
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| in Europe in the 15th to 17th centuries
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| | It was the Spanish who provided the most
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| may seem a dry and daunting task.
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| | of the solution. The greatest infusion of
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| It needn't be.
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| | circulating coin came from 15th century
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| Teachers, one way to put some "juice"
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| | Spanish discoveries in the New World,
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| into this topic would be to consult one
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| | which happened as a byproduct of Spain's
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| of your in-house coin collectors. If you
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| | search for a shorter trading route to
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| are lucky enough to have any budding
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| | Asia.
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| numismatists in your classes, ask them
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| | And this suggests another coin-assisted
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| for a report on the role of coinage in
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| | way to present the Age of Discovery...
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| the Age of Discovery.
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| | sunken treasure coins.
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| Now realize that beginning coin
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| | Many of us have been fascinated with
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| collectors may know nothing more about
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| | stories of lost treasure, especially in
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| this topic than anyone else in class, but
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| | recent years as technology for undersea
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| when they realize the importance of coins
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| | archeology and treasure salvage has
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| to this subject they often perk up.
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| | developed. (Collectors of US coins often
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| In case you don't know, here are the
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| | become aware of treasure coins when they
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| basics:
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| | learn more about the coinage of the
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| The Middle Ages in Europe were on the
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| | colonies - most of which was Spanish
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| wane as the earliest travelers returned
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| | silver.)
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| from the Far East (think, Marco Polo)
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| | The classic treasure tale involves a
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| with odd and curious brick-a-brack,
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| | early Spanish or Dutch vessel, sunk in a
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| and... spices. Spices became valued, and
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| | storm with all hands, loaded to the
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| enthusiasm for them grew as Europeans
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| | gunwales with coins of silver and gold.
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| learned to liven up their cooking by
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| | Some of the largest finds have been from
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| using them. Equally compelling was how
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| | ships that sailed during the latter years
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| spices could extend the life of food that
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| | of the Age of Discovery. The long risky
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| was, shall we say, past its prime. This
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| | voyages of the "plate fleets", moving
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| was perhaps an early application of
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| | silver and gold coins from the Americas
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| "perception is reality" thinking.
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| | to Europe, and then on trading ships from
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| The spice trade was also an early spur to
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| | Europe to the Far East, are well
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| post-medieval European economies. To
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| | documented in the records of the early
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| trade with the Far East, where the spices
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| | marine insurance firms.
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| came from, required money. Money, in
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| | Holding in your hands a rough silver
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| those days, was coins. To this day, there
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| | Spanish American 8 reale coin from the
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| is an abiding fondness in the East for
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| | Mexico City mint, struck in the 1600s and
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| precious metals, especially silver.
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| | lost in a howling hurricane off the
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| But Europeans had few coins to trade with
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| | Florida coast will tend to bring history
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| other than the small, silver, hammer
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| | to life. Likewise a large Dutch "silver
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| struck pennies so prevalent in the Middle
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| | rider" coin made from Spanish silver,
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| Ages. Medieval coinage had trended
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| | lost on an unlucky merchant ship will
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| downward in weight and purity, a
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| | have an equally colorful tale to tell.
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