Headgear

4 Spanish Colonial Coin Silver Santos Crowns, sold For $550

A collection of four antique coin silver Santos or Madonna crowns were sold by Myers Fine Art in St Petersburg, FL for USD550. Three measure 5 1/2" to 4 1/2" high and are of similar form and topped with crosses, the middle size one is hallmarked with an unidentified stamp. The smallest one is jewel set.

The concept of dolls and crowns to adorn them seems a little bizarre today, but when you're conquering the world with your religion, you need all the visual aids you can get. The concept of a crown still being worn by a head of state also seems anachronistic, but whether this spectacle will continue into the reign of the next British monarch is perhaps somewhat doubtful.