Christopher Columbus’s first voyage to the New World in 1492 marked the start of Spain’s colonization of Cuba. Columbus claimed Cuba as belonging to Queen Isabel of Castile upon setting foot on the island. He named it Isla Juana in honor of Joanna, the daughter of the queen and King Fernando of Aragon. During the early stages of colonization, native products were traded for the so-called moneda de tierra, or “land currency.” Commercial units were given a definite value; examples include cocoa beans and cotton thread.
When trade with Cuba began at the beginning of the 16th century, no coins had been made for the island. At that time, the value of molten and assayed gold was fixed using a piece of silver known as the peso de minas, which was equal to about 450 Spanish maravedis. Shipwrecks have been found carrying gold and silver ingots, typically marked in a primitive fashion, indicating their use as currency at the start of America’s colonization.
Cuba’s gold supplies fell in the early 16th century, around the time that Spanish Emperor Carlos I established the first mints in America: Mexico in 1536 and Santo Domingo in 1542-44. The first financial transfers from the Situado Mexicano (“Viceroyalty of Mexico”) arrived in Cuba during the reign of Felipe II, who issued a royal decree in 1556.
Coin scarcity has been a defining feature of Cuban monetary history, as it has been in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. In the absence of precious metals that would have justified the establishment of a mint, Cuba was obliged to rely on coins imported first from Spain and then from Mexico. Mexico’s War of Independence impacted its ability to ship goods, and the money crisis in Cuba and Puerto Rico deepened.
Medals of Honor
It is well known that many cultures award medals and honors, typically with metallic objects, out of a desire to recognize exemplary characteristics or distinguish people for their commendable actions. Such medals are often attractive and come in various shapes and sizes.
The numismatist Carlos Berenguer claims that Spain awarded several medals and prizes in Cuba from 1492 until 1898, following the Spanish-American War. The first Spanish Cuban medal was created to commemorate Luis I’s accession to the Spanish monarchy. Later medals from Spain’s Bourbon dynasty—issued for Felipe V, Carlos III, Carlos IV, and Isabel II—were known as jubilee medals. Before and following the conclusion of the Cuban War of Independence (1895), the Spanish government also handed out other honors in Cuba, including medals for paying various fines, as well as the Medal of the Order of Isabel la Católica and the Campaign Medal. Prominent municipal members received City Hall medals bearing the Spanish royal crown.
1872 Cuban Medal
In 2021 I discovered a description of what appeared to be an 1872 Cuban medal design in the online catalog of Spain’s National Historical Archive. I sent an email to the archival staff, and almost a year later, I received copies of the papers and medal design. To my astonishment, I had found the original drawing for the medal that was presented to members of the Royal Economic Society of Friends of Havana, Cuba, in 1872 as a mark of distinction.
Havana’s Royal Economic Society of Friends had requested medals be awarded as a mark of distinction for its members since other economic societies in Spain had given out similar honors. Spain’s Madrid archives contain six letters and the original medal. The peninsula’s Spanish authorities approved the request and granted it by royal order on September 24, 1872.
I have translated the six original documents I recovered from the National Historical Archive in Madrid, detailing the Royal Economic Society of Havana’s medal request. The translation, which can be viewed at bit.ly/selh-archivo, makes the primary sources in the archive accessible to an English-speaking audience.
Conclusion
I have been looking for further details about the medal’s design because, according to the catalog’s description, it is unknown who created it. I had access to relatively few primary sources about this piece. However, the struck medal is known by numismatists, and its unique design contributes to the numismatic heritage of Cuba and the Caribbean.
Acknowledgment
This research was partially funded by a 2023 Eric P. Newman Education Society (EPNNES) Grant.