Contributed by Maine Historical Society
- MMN #105090
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Description
This Brazilian 300 Reis coin was part of an extensive cache found at the mouth of the Bagaduce River, indicating the area's thriving trade in the 1600s. Dating to the reign of Philip IV, this four reales coin was counterstamped with a new value of 300 Reis. The reverse side depicted an elaborate shield and the text "PHILIPPVS.IIII.D.G." beneath the counterstamp. The reverse side featured a crest and the text "HISPANIANRVM.REX.1659."
Present-day Castine was a contested area of overlapping Wabanaki, English, and French claims for centuries. In 1674, during a period of French control, Dutch privateers attacked the fort and took the Baron of Saint-Castin (Jean Vincent d’Abbadie) and others hostage for ransom. When Saint-Castin returned to Castine in 1677, he established a trading post among Wabanakis on the Bagaduce River, about six miles from the old fort.
In 1684 Chief Madockawando’s daughter, Pidianiske (baptized as Molly Mathilde), married Saint-Castin and solidified the alliance between the French and Penobscot. Family ties and reciprocal relations gave Saint-Castin a stronger footing among Wabanaki people than the English settlers and traders encroaching up the coast. There are many Penobscot descendants of Jean Vincent and Pidianske in Maine, including WWII combat medic Charles Shay and Penobscot tribal historian James Francis.
In 1840, the Grindle family found hundreds of coins buried on their farm. It is possible that this coin was part of a secret stash from Saint-Castin’s trading post.
About This Item
- Title: Brazilian 300 Reis coin, Philip IV, Castine, 1659
- Creation Date: 1659
- Subject Date: 1659
- Location: Castine, Hancock County, ME
- Media: Metal
- Dimensions: 3.4 cm x 3.4 cm
- Local Code: A00-52-19
- Object Type: Physical Object
Cross Reference Searches
Standardized Subject Headings
- Abenaki Indians--History--17th century
- Acadia -- History
- Indians of North America
- Indians of North America--Maine
- Maine--History--Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775
- Native Americans--Maine
- Penobscot Indian Nation
- Penobscots
- St. Castin, Jean Vincent d'Abbadie, baron de, 1652-1707
- Trading posts--Maine--Castine
- Wabanaki Indians
People
Other Keywords
For more information about this item, contact:
Maine Historical Society485 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101
(207) 774-1822 x230
Website
Use of this Item is not restricted by copyright and/or related rights, but the holding organization is contractually obligated to limit use. For more information, please contact the contributing organization. However, watermarked Maine Memory Network images may be used for educational purposes.
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