Mint — Numismatic Collection of the Bank of the Republic

Brief information

In this museum, money is connected not only with display cases: the building itself was once a place where it was produced. The mint in Bogota was founded in 1621 by decree of the Spanish king Philip III. For a long time it operated as a forge with furnaces for smelting, and in the mid-18th century the building was expanded in order to switch to mechanized coin production. That is why not only the collection of coins and banknotes is important, but also the former production shell in which this history is presented.

Over two and a half centuries, the mint grew noticeably and was rebuilt more than once, but the source text emphasizes that the original architectural features were successfully preserved. In 1975 the building was declared a national monument of Colombia. This fact changes the way one looks at the museum: what stands before the visitor is not just a space for a collection, but a monument to the place where the country's monetary circulation took material form.

What to notice right away

It makes sense to compare three things: the historic building, the coins, and the banknotes. The building shows the production side of money: there was a forge and smelting furnaces here, although the source text does not specify whether the furnaces themselves have survived. The coins and banknotes reveal another layer: not production, but the circulation of money in the country. A simple connection emerges between them: the items in the collection are not detached from the place, because part of this history happened in the building itself.

Separately, one can note the expansions and reconstructions of the building as a trace of the mint's long operation. The source does not describe specific facades or interiors, so the general principle is more important: to look not for a single “original” form, but for a combination of preserved architectural features and later changes. In the exhibition, this same passage of time is supported by different types of objects: coins, banknotes, gold items, paintings, and temporary exhibitions.