Peru’s central bank put into circulation today a new nuevo sol coin which features architecture from the southern state of Moquegua.
The Moquegua-themed coin features an intersection of cobblestone streets lined with houses featuring the triangular or trapezoidal gable roofs common in Moquegua. Twelve million of the coins will be issued as part of the bank’s Wealth and Pride Collection Series.
“The slanted roof is a distinctive feature of Moquegua architecture. It originated in the viceroyalty era and the [“mojinete”] name is an Americanism dating back to the 17th century in Moquegua,” reads a press release from Peru’s central bank. The slanted roofs were made of cane covered with a mixture of mud and small pebbles.
The houses also feature facades of the carved stonework common in Inca architecture. Above the houses are the words, “Arquitectura Moqueguana S. XVII d.C.” To the right of the Moquegua scene is the logo of Peru’s official mint, the National House of Coin. The reverse side of the coin features Peru’s coat of arms.
The Moquegua coin is the 21st of what will eventually be 26 in the Wealth and Pride series. Other coins highlight Machu Picchu, the Lima cathedral, the Real Felipe fortress in Callao, the Santa Catalina monastery in Arequipa, the Huaca de la Luna building built by the Mochica culture near Trujillo, the Huaytara Inca temple in Huancavelica and more.
Sources
BCR pone en circulación moneda de un sol alusiva a arquitectura moqueguana (Andina)
ARQUITECTURA MOQUEGUANA (Banco Central de Reserva del Peru)
