Knights in shining armor... fair damsels... jousting tournaments and legendary feats of daring-do were all funded by something perhaps not quite as legendary, but ever-so-fascinating - the hand-hammered penny. Take a somewhat irreverent look at this world-changing currency.

Yep, this one can be a bit confusing, because, well, these amazing artifacts just aren't round. But, there are some general "Rules of Thumb" (and the picture guide above doesn't hurt either).

How to read the legendary Pillars and Waves treasure coins of the Spanish Main... yes, you too can amaze your friends and family with your keen understanding of piratical history!

I got into the treasure hunting and adventure biz back in 1988 when I was a Firefighter/EMT in Key Largo and wrote stories for Florida Keys newspapers and publications.  There were two things I quickly discovered...

I admit - I've always love medieval Western European history... so I guess it was inevitable that I would fall in love with the main staple of post 800 AD medieval European currency - the silver hammered penny!