UTAH SPANISH COIN FIND: NEVERMIND

The recent discovery of two ancient Spanish coins near Halls Crossing excited archaeologists at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, who wondered whether they offered evidence that Spanish explorers, possibly in search of mythical cities of gold, passed through Utah centuries ago.

While the coins were determined to be authentic, National Park Service officials have now concluded that they were not left behind by Spaniards in colonial times. Circumstantial evidence, such as the 400-year difference in the two coins' ages, indicates they most likely came from a modern collection, but that finding raises other questions.

Why would someone just throw away or lose valuable coins, dating back to the 13th and 17th centuries, in Utah canyon country? Yet the coins do tell two important stories.

"First, the visitor who found the coins and turned them into the park showed great respect for the history and resources in the park and instead of keeping them, ensured everyone could learn about the coins," the park service wrote in a news release Tuesday. "Second, the coins' exact location and what they were found with has contributed to educated guesses about their history. This is why archaeological artifacts should be left in place and reported to the land management agency; where they are is just as important as what they are."

The smaller of the two coins, called a dinero, was minted between 1252 and 1284, dating to the reign of Alfonso X. The larger coin is a "16 maravedis," dating from 1662 to 1664. The coins' mintings, four centuries apart, date to at least a century before the famous expedition of Atanasio Domínguez and Silvestre Vélez de Escalante, who crossed southern Utah in 1776.

To read the complete article, see:
Where did ancient Spanish coins found in Utah's Glen Canyon come from? (https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2019/05/22/where-did-ancient-spanish/)

To read earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
UTAH SPANISH COIN FIND PUZZLES PARK SERVICE (https://www.coinbooks.org/v22/esylum_v22n17a23.html)
NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: MAY 19, 2019 : On Pranking Archaeologists With Salted Coins (https://www.coinbooks.org/v22/esylum_v22n20a12.html)

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