! Valencia Today – The Marq In Alicante Shows The Treasure Of Sant Joan D’alacant

The MARQ in Alicante shows the treasure of Sant Joan d'AlacantThis treasure haul was hidden in the province of Alicante for 140 years
Alicante’s Archaeological Museum, the Marq, is hosting a new temporary exhibition showing the most significant coin haul ever found in the province, containing over five hundred gold and silver coins from the modern period.

The exhibition opened on the 12th February and will remain in situ until the end of April.
The collection was discovered in April 1963 during the renovation work carried out by Vicente Ferrer Escrivá on his house in Sant Joan, and the coins are being displayed under the title “El tesoro de Sant Joan d’Alacant”.

The exhibits include 15 gold coins and 486 made out of silver, and between them all of the Spanish monarchs between 1708 and 1823 are represented. Having studied and catalogued the find experts at the museum have concluded that the reason for it being hidden must be connected to the arrival of the French army between July and November 1823: at this time the “Hundred Thousand Sons of Saint Louis” entered Spain to reinstate Fernando VII as absolute monarch, bringing an end to the three years of liberal government known as the “Trienio Liberal”.

It is believed that in that climate of political and military uncertainty someone in the locality, believed to be one Antonio Quereda Chápuli, hid his haul, and he died without telling anyone about their hiding place. As a result the coins remained hidden for the small matter of 140 years.

Since 2002 the treasure has been in the Modern and Contemporary room of the Marq, and now it has been moved to the entrance hall for a temporary period. The exhibition also includes a complementary audiovisual display, explanatory panels and a guide in Spanish, Valenciano and English.

MARQ: Museo Arqueológico de Alicante
Plaza Dr Gómez Ulla, s/n. 03013 Alicante
Click for map, Plaza Dr Gómez Ulla, Alicante

Tel: 965 149 000

Winter Opening hours: ( until June)
Tuesday to Friday 10am to 7pm
Saturday fom 10am to 8.30pm
Sunday and Festival days from 10am to 2pm
Monday closed

Museum entry : 3 euros ( reductions available)

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