Description

These emergency coins were made on the Majorca (Mallorca) island, during an epidemic yellow fever which killed many. They were made between November 11th 1821 till December 31th 1821 in the Bellver Castle using blanks made from melted silver taken from the island churches.

Yellow fever is a disease caused by a virus that is spread through mosquito bites. Symptoms take 3–6 days to develop and include fever, chills, headache, backache, and muscle aches. About 15% of people who get yellow fever develop serious illness that can lead to bleeding, shock, organ failure, and sometimes death. The first mention of the disease by the name "yellow fever" occurred in 1744. Many famous people, mostly during the 18th through the 20th centuries, contracted and then recovered from, or died of, yellow fever.

Engraver: Antonio Canut

Obverse

Depicts a coat of arms of the Palma de Mallorca (the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands in Spain) on top of the inscription in Latin "Health to the People".

SALUS POPULI

Reverse

Depicts, the year of issue on the top and value (30 Sueldo) on the bottom. FRº. VII. stands for Ferdinand VII (1784–1833). He was twice King of Spain: in 1808 and again from 1813 to his death.

Ferdinand VII was known to his supporters as the Desired (el Deseado) and to his detractors as the Felon King (el Rey Felón). After being overthrown by Napoleon in 1808 he linked his monarchy to counter-revolution and reactionary policies that produced a deep rift in Spain between his forces on the right and liberals on the left. Back in power in 1814, he reestablished the absolutist monarchy and rejected the liberal constitution of 1812. A revolt in 1820 led by Rafael de Riego forced him to restore the constitution thus beginning the Liberal Triennium: a three year period of liberal rule. In 1823 the Congress of Verona authorized a successful French intervention restoring him to absolute power for the second time. He suppressed the liberal press from 1814 to 1833 and jailed many of its editors and writers. Under his rule, Spain lost nearly all of its American possessions, and the country entered into civil war on his death.

1821.
FRº. VII.
30. SOUS

Edge

30 Sueldo

Emergency Issue
C# L53 Cal# 525
Characteristics
Material Silver
Weight 26.75 g
Diameter 40 mm
Thickness 2 mm
Shape round
Alignment -
Alt # Cal# 525, Cal# 526, Cal# 527, Cal# 528, Cal# 529, Cal# 530

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