Plata Corriente, St. Johns/Santa Clara Shipwreck

3D Model

Plata corriente [common silver] was an early form of Spanish colonial currency. It was made of pieces of unassayed silver, stamped, and used as de facto coinage. Because plata corriente was created outside of the governmental system, it was valued at a lower rate than official, assayed coins. This piece is 2.3cm across, 0.7cm thick, and weighs 15.61 grams. Metallurgical analysis shows it is made of roughly 75% silver with significant impurities of lead, arsenic, and copper. The lettering within the partial, circular stamp has yet to be deciphered. Plata corriente was most commonly made and used in the 16th century Spanish Americas.