Potosí Silver Production and the Spanish Atlantic Trade (1545–1700)

1. Spanish Atlantic trade regulated from Seville

   Jan 1, 1503Labels: Casa de, Seville

   • Casa Contrataci n
   • History Lab

2. Royal fifth tax anchors crown revenue from silver

   Jan 1, 1504Labels: Quinto Real, Spanish Crown

   • Britannica Quinto
   • Casa Contrataci n

3. Cerro Rico silver discovered near Potosí

   Jan 1, 1545Labels: Cerro Rico, Spanish colonists

   • UNESCO Potos
   • Britannica Quinto

4. Potosí founded as a mining city

   Apr 1, 1545Labels: Potos, mining city

   • UNESCO Potos
   • Potos city

5. Spanish convoy system begins protecting bullion shipments

   Jan 1, 1560Labels: Treasure Fleet, Spanish navy

   • Britannica Fleets

6. Huancavelica mercury mining starts for silver refining

   Jan 1, 1564Labels: Huancavelica, mercury

   • EHP Mercury
   • UNESCO Santa B

7. Mercury amalgamation adopted at Potosí

   Jan 1, 1572Labels: Mercury amalgamation, Potos

   • EHP Mercury
   • UoL Press Potos

8. Royal Mint of Potosí established

   Jan 1, 1572Labels: Royal Mint, Potos

   • Casa Moneda ES
   • Enumismatic Mint

9. Toledo reorganizes Potosí labor through the mita

   Jan 1, 1573Labels: Mita, Francisco de

   • UNESCO Potos
   • EHP Mercury

10. First Potosí silver coinage begins

    Mar 28, 1574Labels: Potos mint, coinage

    • Enumismatic Mint
    • Casa Contrataci n

11. Pan amalgamation innovation spreads from Potosí

    Jan 1, 1609Labels: Pan amalgamation, Potos

    • Pan amalgamation
    • Alonso Barba

12. Mint adds visible dating to improve coin control

    Jan 1, 1617Labels: Potos coins, mint dating

    • Enumismatic Mint

13. Alonso Barba publishes influential metallurgy treatise

    Jan 1, 1640Labels: Alonso Barba, Arte de

    • Brill Nuncius
    • Arts Culture

14. Great Potosí Mint fraud undermines coin confidence

    Jan 1, 1649Labels: Potos mint, coin debasement

    • Mint Fraud
    • Enumismatic Mint

15. Potosí’s output and shipping face late-1600s pressures

    Jan 1, 1700Labels: Potos decline, late 1600s

    • UNESCO Potos
    • EHP Mercury