Sorry everyone except #numismatic people - #numismatists although others are allowed to be interested!
I have a particular interest in the coins (Republican only - no #Fascist coins in my collection!) of the #SpanishCivilWar and the #SegundaRepública #Española
During the Civil War of 1936-1939, the Republic (Democratically elected, Left leaning, promoting education, women’s rights, and reducing the power and wealth of the #landowners and church) was attacked by a #Fascist insurrection, eventually led by the odious #GeneralFranco.
France, England and other European powers adopted a policy of non-intervention, but Franco and the fascists were supported by Hitler and Mussolini, with arms, artillery, ground forces and aerial support - the notorious #CondorLegion of the #Luftwaffe firebombed the peaceful town of #Gernika, in one of the worst atrocities of a brutal war.
The Republic ran out of money, after sending the Spanish gold reserves to Moscow, in exchange for arms and materiel, so local towns and villages were authorised to make their own - “monetarised anarchy” is a good description of the currency in circulation.
In the small village of #Gratallops, the local blacksmith, Sr Ricard Martí, made these coins out of zinc packaging from a shipment of carbide from the Basque Country. He cut the packaging, and stamped each coin by hand. They are extraordinarily rare, simple, and fascinating. 1 peseta and 5 centims shown