17th century Mexican coin found in southeastern Poland

A silver coin found last week in a field in the village of Czerniczyn, near Hrubieszów, southeastern Poland, most probably dates to 17th century Mexico, conservators have announced. 

A silver coin found last week in a field in the village of Czerniczyn, near Hrubieszów, southeastern Poland, most probably originates from 17th century Mexico, conservators have said.

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

The coin was discovered by a local history buff who decided to search the field with the help of a metal detector, Polish state news agency PAP reported. 

As the man says, initially he thought the coin was just a piece of sheet metal but a first wash suggested this could be an important find and he handed it over to the regional art conservator. 

The coin has an unusual, many-sided shape and is of uneven thickness. It was first thought to be a pirate coin from the area of the Caribbean Sea, possibly minted by the English during the rule of Elizabeth I, from silver captured at the end of the 16th century from the Spanish Armada by Sir Francis Drake. 

‘A mystery’

However, later examinations indicated that the coin is Spanish, and minted in the first half of the 17th century in Mexico, during the reign of Spanish king Philip IV. 

Srebrna moneta znaleziona w ubiegłym tygodniu na polu we wsi Czerniczyn w powiecie hrubieszowskim najprawdopodobniej została wybita w pierwszej połowie XVII-wieku w Meksyku - podał Lubelski Wojewódzki Konserwator Zabytków Dariusz Kopciowski. #archeologiahttps://t.co/BH7Xs228pk

— Historia - Polskie Radio (@Historia_PR) August 25, 2022

Because most finds in the area are Russian coins and bullet shells from the times of World War I and II, as well as artefacts from the time of the Roman Empire, the coin remains a "surprise and a mystery," say conservators, the PAP news agency reported.

(ek/pm)

Source: PAP, polskieradio24.pl