Ella vale un Potosí

We finally took care of a long procrastinated errand and I wanted to write about it. For our wedding two and a half years ago, my father-in-law gave us a silver coin from a sunken Spanish ship. Seems like a pretty strange wedding present, right? Well, he collects coins and is particularly interested in Spanish treasure since he served as a missionary in Spain. I happen to have been through the mine where much of the Spanish silver was mined, in Potosí, Bolivia.

Here's a picture I took of the opening to the mine shaft I toured in Potosí

I did a public health internship in Bolivia, and for a weekend trip, I toured the mines at Potosí. These mines were responsible for producing much of the wealth of the Spanish Empire, to the point that Bolivians have a saying used to refer to something of inestimable value: "Vale un Potosí," meaning, "it's worth a Potosí." My father-in-law knew the saying, and we had discussed my trip to the mines. For our wedding present, he wrote "She's worth a Potosí" on a card and gave us this coin that was mined in Potosí:

We framed it with a dark brown frame that is slightly weathered, as if from a shipwreck. The mat is a velvety red that matches the duvet on our bed.

The coin is inside a clear plastic case that is floated in a foam board. The mat and plaque are on one side of the foam board, and the original card and note about the history of the coin are on the other side.

This way both sides of the coin can still be seen, but just one side shows when we hang it.

We love the present since it has such significance for us and for Chrissy's father. It was a very thoughtful gift and will be a treasure in our home forever.