Latest / The Rise of Colonialism: How Europe Divided the World — Fexingo History
The Potosí Mint: How Silver Coins Fueled Global Empire
Lucas and Luna dive into the heart of Spain's colonial economy: the Royal Mint of Potosí. How did a single mint in the Andes produce the silver coins — the famous pieces of eight — that bankrolled the Spanish Empire and transformed global trade? Lucas traces the mint's founding after the discovery of Cerro Rico, the brutal mita labor system that supplied workers, the technical process of minting macuquinas (cob coins), and the corruption and fraud that plagued the operation. He explains how the mint's output flowed through the Manila Galleon to China, reshaping economies on…
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