Category 8. The Spanish Gold Boom: The New World’s Impact (1492–1600 CE)

As Spain’s conquest of the Aztec and Inca Empires flooded Europe with gold, the Spanish Crown needed a way to standardize and control its vast wealth. In response, Spain introduced two of the most influential gold coins in history: These…

Spain conquered the Aztec and Inca Empires in the early 16th century triggered one of the largest gold inflows in history, transforming the European economy and global trade. The fall of the Aztec Empire (1519–1521) under Hernán Cortés and the…