SPAIN, Castile & León. Sancho IV el Bravo (the Brave), 1284-1295. Medio Maravedi (Silver, 26 mm, 2.75 g, 8 h), Sevilla (Seville), 1284-1295. ✠ SΛnCIVS:DЄI:GRΛCIΛ:RЄX:CΛSTЄLIЄ Crowned lion to left within three-towered castle above mintmark S; all within polylobe and ringlets. Rev. ✠ SΛnCIVS:DICI:GRΛCIΛ:RЄX:LЄGIOnIS Crowned lion to left within polylobe and pellets. Álvarez Burgos -. Bautista -. Cayon -. MEC 6, -. Unpublished and unique, an issue of tremendous historical importance, and a magnificent piece of Spanish medieval art. Traces of overstriking and with minor minor deposits and and a flan crack, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.


The well-preserved legend on this fascinating coin unmistakably identifies it as belonging to Sancho IV, the successor of Alfonso X (1221-1284). Sancho IV was a bold and determined ruler who refused to accept the disinheritance imposed by his father. In 1284, he ascended to the throne, igniting a series of prolonged civil wars. His opponents even sought the assistance of the Marinids from Morocco, but Sancho IV successfully repelled them. Toward the end of his reign, his kingdom strengthened its ties with the Crown of Aragon, a strategic alliance that would ultimately reinforce the Reconquista, the centuries-long campaign by Christian kingdoms in the Iberian Peninsula to reclaim territory from Muslim rule.

One of the most striking features of this coin is the masterfully executed reverse. The depiction of the lion is particularly dynamic, with sharp, well-defined proportions that distinguish it from the already impressive lions found on the rare Medio Maravedís of Alfonso X (Álvarez Burgos 222, Cayon 1110), which served as a prototype for our coin. While the latter remained stylistically rooted in the 13th century, the lion on this coin exhibits a more refined and evolved aesthetic. Symmetrically positioned within the decorative border, its muscular limbs are rendered with remarkable depth, and its ribs are subtly visible beneath its fur. This artistic refinement marks a transition into the delicate Gothic coinage style, foreshadowing the aesthetic achievements seen during the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453).

It is evident that Sancho IV commissioned a new die engraver for this particular coin type. Despite its artistic appeal, this coin type clearly did not see widespread circulation and must have been minted in very limited quantities. In this regard, it is reminiscent of Sancho IV’s Sesen or Maravedi, of which only one specimen is known to exist in the Museum of Santa Cruz in Toledo. That coin features a portrait of Sancho IV similar to his other issues, but its weight is exactly double that of our piece, suggesting that our coin should be classified as either a Medio Maravedi or a half Sesen.

The most plausible explanation for this coin’s rarity lies in the silver shortage during Sancho IV’s reign. The lack of access to silver, coupled with the immense financial demands of ongoing civil wars, made the planned issue of high-purity Maravedis and Medio Maravedis impossible. Instead, the monetary system under Sancho IV relied primarily on billon coinage (Cf. M. Crusafont / A. Balaguer / P. Grierson: Medieval European Coinage, Vol. VI, Cambridge 2013, p. 317). This makes the coin not only a numismatic rarity and an object of significant artistic interest but also a valuable historical artifact that offers insight into the economic struggles of a war-torn 13th-century Spain.

Just as this coin was inspired by the Medio Maravedis of Alfonso X, it, in turn, served as a model for future issues. Alfonso XI (1311-1350) later minted impressive Doblas, featuring the same finely crafted crowned lion, a direct homage to this earlier design (cf. Cayon 1231 and Friedberg 102).