NAVIGATION - SPANISH VESSEL (SERIES I)ID92880052


The F.N.M.T. - R.C.M. presents a new series of coins dedicated to recall the "History of Navigation". These series reproduce a selection of boats that, for one reason or another, have been relevant over time. It consists of twenty coins. Four of them are put into circulation in 2018 and the remaining 16 in 2019.To collect them, you can purchase the book "History of Navigation" (art. 92887050), which describes the technical characteristics of each of the boats.
Special launching offer! With the purchase of the first four coins (Phoenician Combat Ship, Drakkar Scandinavo, Spanish Navy and Juan Sebastian de Elcano School Ship), we will send you the collection book-case free of charge (art. 32887050).
On the obverse is reproduced in colours an image of the work entitled "Ship of three stern bridges", which is housed in the Naval Museum of Madrid. On the right, the mint mark. In the upper left, in ascending circular direction and in capital letters, the inscription NAVÍO ESPAÑOL.
On the reverse (common to all the pieces), the face value of the coin 1.5 EURO and the inscription HISTORY OF THE NAVIGATION appear. Out of the central circle there are six dolphins jumping, counter clockwise, on the same aquatic motifs that appear in the obverses.
Series | History of Navigation |
Year | 2018 |
Colour | Yes |
Diameter (mm) | 33 |
Face Value (Euro) | 1.5 |
Metal | Cupronickel |
Weight (g) | 15 |
Maximum Mintage (units) | 10,000 |
SPANISH VESSEL
Era: 18th and 19th century
Length: 62.3m
Beam: 9.66m
Depth: 8.3 m
Propulsion: sail
Description: during the second maritime war between England and Holland, the Duke of York (who would later become James II of England) adopted a line formation in the battle of Lowestoft (13/06/1665). From then onwards in the arms race, shipyards sought to build vessels with sides that would withstand enemy fire, have good manoeuvrability in order to easily stay in formation, and be quick and easy to repair.
Ever since then until steam engines appeared, the ship of the line would gradually evolve both its hull and masting, and by the end of the 18th century it would feature copper coated hulls, booms, and square sails on the hound mast, and cannons of up to 36 pounds on the low decks.
Spain was deep in the race ever since the arrival of Philip V to the throne, and had the best ships of the line present at Trafalgar (Neptune, 1795 and Argonaut, 1796).
Shortly after the end of the Succession war, six vessels were bought from Genoa and José Patiño was tasked in 1715 to build a shipyard in San Feliú de Guixols, where the first ship of the line built in Spain would be put out to sea in 1716, the San Felipe el Real, equipped with 80 cannons, that would be followed by El Cambí in 1718 and El Catalán in 1719.
At the same time, the Cantabria superintendence was created, led by Mr. Antonio Gaztañeta, who would launch 8 ships between 1716 and 1717. Milestones: the key milestone in the history of Spanish ships of the line was the arrival to the throne of Ferdinand VI and the appointment of Mr. Zenón of Somodevilla, marquess of Ensenada, as State Navy secretary.
His policies resulted in the creation of the enormous arsenals in Ferrol, La Carraca, Cartagena, and La Habana, the short-lived arsenals of Santa María de Chimalapa and Guayaquil, and the Guarnizo arsenal. The most active arsenals in the construction of vessels were the ones in La Habana and Ferrol.
The Royal Armada peak in 1793 with 79 ships of the line, one of them becoming the biggest in the world at its time, the Santísima Trinidad, and building a total of 218 vessels during the 18th century. The coin showcased features a vessel very similar to the Santísima Trinidad, built in La Habana by Mateo Mullan in 1769 and equipped with 120 cannons (30 cannons of 36 pounds, 32 cannons of 24 pounds, 32 cannons of 18 pounds, and 26 cannons of 8 pounds), up to a maximum of 140. The ship could carry 2,153 tons. The English became obsessed with capturing it, and the vessel was eventually sunk in Trafalgar on 21 October 1805.