ARDITE: COIN OF CATALONIA
Ardite, 1614: Principality of Catalonia
Principality of Catalonia — medieval and early modern state in the Iberian Peninsula (nowadays — an autonomous community in Spain). The term Principality of Catalonia was official until the 1830s, when the Spanish government implemented the centralized provincial division (Principality was divided into four provinces).
Ruler: Philip III (Spanish "Felipe III"; also known in Spain as Philip the Pious) — King of Spain during 1598-1621. As Philip II, he was also King of Portugal, Naples, Sicily and Sardinia and Duke of Milan from 1598 until 1621. Philip was a ruler of the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon, the autonomous provinces of Catalonia and Andalusia — all only loosely joined through the institution of the Castile monarchy and the person of Philip III.
The capital letters A and R as an indication of the coin's denomination — ARdite.
Bust of the King in a ruff (millstone collar) is an item of clothing worn in Western, Central and Northern Europe, as well as Spanish America, from the mid-16th century to the mid-17th century.
BARCINO CIVITAS - 1614: the city of Barcelona in Latin (Barcino is the old name of the capital of Catalonia during the Roman Empire).
Coat of arms of Barcelona: the Saint George's Cross (from the Late Middle Ages it became associated with Saint George, the military saint, often depicted as a crusader; patron saint of the House of Barcelona) and Four Bars as the arms of the Archdiocese of Barcelona (the emblems of the Kings of Aragon and Counts of Barcelona since 1137 when Aragon and the County of Barcelona merged by dynastic union).
This type of ardite was minted during the years 1612-1621 in Barcelona.
- Copper: 17 mm - 1.43 g
- Reference price: 39$
COIN ARDITE — WHERE & WHEN (coins catalog: by names & emitents)
- PRINCIPALITY OF CATALONIA (16th-18th centuries): ardite = 4 obolo = 2 dinero = 1/3 seiseno
ARDITE as coin name.
Ardite — historical copper coin of the Principality of Catalonia, equal to 2 dinero or 4 obolo.
This old Spanish coin was minted for two centuries in a row: approximately during the years 1556-1756 (although some sources claim that this denomination appeared much earlier.. but I could not find such facts).
Only a few known types of coin are known, a sample of the most common of which is presented above.
The name ardite comes from the Catalan term "ardit", which translates as brave, courageous. According to one version, the first ardite coins depicted a lion as a symbol of courage. I have not found confirmation of this version (images of such coins)...
