Spanish escudo

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The escudo was the name of two distinct Spanish currency denominations.

[edit] Gold Escudo, 1566-1833

The first escudo was a gold coin worth 16 reales de plata fuertes or 40 reales de vellón. The escudo was introduced in 1566, with coins denominated in escudos issued until 1833. These included the two escudo coin, known as the dubloon. Between 1809 and 1849, coins denominated as 80, 160 and 320 reales (de vellon) were issued, equivalent, in gold content and value, to the 2, 4 and 8 escudo coins.

[edit] Silver Escudo, 1864-1869

The second escudo was the standard unit of currency in Spain between 1864 and 1869. It was divided into 100 céntimos de escudo. The escudo replaced the real at a rate of 10 reales = 1 escudo. It was itself replaced by the peseta, at a rate of 2½ pesetas = 1 escudo, when Spain joined the Latin Monetary Union.

The later silver escudo was worth one quarter of the earlier, gold escudo.