Coin Front & Back
As 9th coin of the series the "Fortaleza del Real Felipe" coin has been put into circulation on the 3rd of July 2012. The front shows the Fortress of Real Felipe in Callao built in Colonial times to defend the Peruvian coast and Lima's gateway to the world, the port of Callao. Today the fortress houses the Military History Museum.
At the beginning of the 17th century Lima was the economic center of the Spanish colonies in South America. The city flourished under the constant influx of gold and silver which indigenous people had to mine. Additionally by degree all riches "seized" in Latin America had to be shipped from Callao, Lima's port, back home. The wealth attracted many pirates. One of the best known, Sir Francis Drake attacked Lima's port Callao in 1579. Many others followed.
After a devastating earthquake and tsunami destroyed Lima's city wall works on a huge fortress began in 1747 which in the future should defend the harbor of Callao, the city of Lima and the Peruvian coast. Completed in 1774 the fortress is the biggest and most impressive of all fortresses the Spanish crown erected overseas and is named after Felipe V of Spain. In 1782 two additional forts were added.
In early Republican times the Fortress of Real Felipe was used as a political prison, than with a short interruption during the War of the Pacific, until 1955 as Callao's custom house. Since 1984 the fortress houses the Military History Museum. Inside its walls, hallways and towers a piece of Peruvian history has survived.
The back of the coin shows in the center part the Peruvian Coat of Arms surrounded by the writing Central Reserve Bank of Peru (Banco Central de Reserva del Perú) and the year of issue. This side of the coin is nearly identical to the previous issued S /. 1.00 coins that have been in circulation.