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320 Reales - Jose I Bonaparte
| Issuer | Real Casa de la Moneda (Royal Mint of Spain) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1810-1812 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Milled |
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| Obverse description | Bare-headed, laureate bust of Joseph Napoleon Bonaparte facing left, with natural flowing hair tied at the nape with a ribbon, rendered in a refined Neoclassical style. The truncation of the neck is plainly cut. The encircling Latin legend reads IOSEPH·NAP·D·G·HISP·ET·IND·R·, abbreviating his royal titles as King of Spain and the Indies by the Grace of God. The date appears prominently in the lower field below the portrait. The coin's periphery is bordered by a fine toothed rim. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Crowned quartered arms of Spain, displaying the traditional Castilian castle and Leonese lion in the first and second quarters respectively, with the arms of Aragon and Granada in the lower quarters, and a central escutcheon bearing the Napoleonic eagle. The shield is surmounted by the Spanish royal crown and encircled by the collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece. The denomination 320 appears to the left of the shield and the mint mark RS to the right, with the Madrid mint mark M below. The surrounding legend reads AUSPICE·DEO·R·S·M·IN·UTROQ·FELIX·, meaning 'Under the auspices of God, happy in both worlds'. |
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| Additional information |
José Bonaparte issued these large gold pieces as part of a deliberate effort to legitimize his rule through coinage — a currency that Spaniards largely refused to accept. His brother Napoleon had installed him on the Spanish throne in 1808, triggering the Peninsular War, and the Royal Mint continued striking in his name even as Wellington's forces were systematically dismantling French control of the peninsula. Cal#1 status reflects just how few examples were ever released into meaningful circulation.