Centén of Philip IV

The one-hundred escudo piece, or the centén, is the largest and most valuable coin in Spanish monetary history. Minted throughout the 17th century, they were made at the Royal Mint of Segovia, which was the only mint that had the machinery to produce quality coins of similar dimensions. Originally meant for show like the large gold coins minted under the Trastámaras and the Catholic monarchs, only very few were minted, and they were never circulated, although nominally integrated into the Castilian monetary system. These valuable and eye-catching pieces, depicting the cross of Jerusalem, associated with gold issue, and the large coat of arms with the territories of the Spanish monarchy, conveyed the wealth of the empire to the world. Philip IV minted some centenes in 1623 to honour the visit of Charles, Prince of Wales, to Spain. It was held in the Engraving Department of the Madrid Mint until 1842, when it was moved to the Medal Museum of the National Library, so it could be displayed to the public.