Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A gold coin formerly used in Spain and Spanish America.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A gold coin of Spain and the Spanish-American states, originally of double the value of the pistole, the double pistole being equivalent from 1730 to 1772 to $8.24, from 1772 to 1786 to $8.08, and from 1786 to 1848 to $7.87. The current doubloon of Spain (doblon de Isabel, 1848) is of 100 reals, and worth a little more than $5.02. The old double doubloon, also called
doubloon onza (ounce of gold), is of 320 reals, or 16 hard dollars, being equivalent to a quadruple pistole. The coinage of doubloons has ceased in Spain.
Wiktionary
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. A Spanish gold coin, no longer issued, varying in value at different times from over fifteen dollars to about five. See doblon in Sup.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a former Spanish gold coin
Etymologies
- Spanish doblón, augmentative of dobla, Spanish coin, from Latin dupla, feminine of duplus, double; see dwo- in Indo-European roots.
Examples
“The Brasher coin was called a doubloon because it is approximately the weight of a Spanish gold doubloon, a common coin in colonial America.”
“He confided with pride: “A doubloon is my constant gain every day that the weather will permit my going out, and sometimes six pistoles.””
“A doubloon is my constant gain every day that the weather will permit my going out, and sometimes six pistoles.”
George Washington
“[24] A doubloon is a coin used in Spanish America in Carter's time worth 16 pieces of eight.”
“[41.5] A doubloon was a coin used in Spanish America in Carter's time worth 16 pieces of eight.”
“In English (following Spanish) a doubloon was a coin worth two pesetas -- the pirates '` piece of eight,' because the peseta was equivalent to four reals.”
“A doubloon is my constant gain every day that the weather will permit of my going out, and sometimes six pistoles. ”
“It took place near the Isle of Pines, south of the western part of Cuba.] [Footnote 7: A doubloon was a Spanish gold coin, equal to $8.24.] [Footnote 8: A pistareen or peseta was equal to about 19 cents.] [Footnote 9: Proctor.”
Privateering and Piracy in the Colonial Period Illustrative Documents
“A doubloon is my constant gain every day that the weather will permit of my going out, and sometimes six pistoles.””
George Washington
“The sound of a doubloon hitting the cement can start a stampede.”
Lists
‘doubloon’ hasn't been added to any lists yet.
yarb "I have seen doubloons before now in my voyagings; your doubloons of old Spain, your doubloons of Peru, your doubloons of Chili, your doubloons of Bolivia, your doubloons of Popayan; with plenty of gold moidores and pistoles, and joes, and half joes, and quarter joes."
- Melville, Moby-Dick, ch. 99 Jul 29, 2008