Pieces of eight
- Audio guide stop: 525
- Gallery: Room 68
- Culture: Potosi
- Made in: Potosi (town/city)
- Date: 1556-1598
- Object type: coin
- Materials: silver
- Museum number: 1920,0907.382
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
Before you is a silver coin titled "Pieces of Eight." This coin is part of a rich history of currency used in trade during the 16th century. It was issued in Potosi, a city known for its silver mines in South America.
You’ll notice it’s circular, about 40 millimeters across, and made entirely of silver, which was highly valued at the time. Though worn from use, the coin represents a significant period when Potosi was one of the richest sources of silver in the world.
This particular coin was bequeathed to the museum in 1920 by Frederick William Hasluck, a collector of historical artifacts. Its production dates back between 1556 and 1598, placing it in a vibrant era of global exploration and commerce.
See it in person
Pieces of eight is on display in Room 68 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and type its audio guide stop number, 525, from the gallery label, or take a photo of it, to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
New, in beta. British Museum support has just launched and is still improving: over 1,000 objects so far, with more added all the time.
