Though it took more weeks than I had anticipated, I have given a general portrayal of the history of silver mining in the Bolivian town of Potosi. The Cerro Rico was undoubtedly one of the largest and wealthiest mineral deposits in the history of the world. Today, Potosi is [...]

 In 1750 the Spanish crown sent these laminating machines to the mint. They were made of oak. They were sent from Spain to Buenos Aires Argentina, and from Buenos Aires they were shipped via mule train to Potosi. Before this, African slaves and Indians [...]

 In 1759, the King of Spain, hoping to improve coin production techniques, ordered the construction of a new mint. This is the courtyard of the mint, which is now a museum. The Casa de Moneda, as it is known in Spanish, provides excellent [...]

Apologies to readers of this blog for having gone so long without a single post. I suppose its been a combination of being overworked, uninspired, and apathetic. I'll try to get back into the rythym in the next few days, first by finishing up on the series I began [...]