Casa de los Medallones / House of Medallions

also known as Casa de la Moneda / House of Currencies and El Museo Numismático Dominicano / The Numismatic Museum Dominicano

This historical house is believed to date from the first half of the sixteenth century. Its building coincided with the completion of the Cathedral around 1540.

It is named House of Medallions because of the five medallions with the human faces inside. There is one face above each pillar and the other three are centered above the doorway. The center face, an adolescent face with a hairstyle of that period, is thought to be the face of King Carlos the Fifth. Some say the other faces are the Kings faces also depicting different his different ages.

The homes original inhabitants are unknown. It is thought to have been the home of some rich government employee.

The story goes that this building is where silver coins were minted. This is not true. There was another building in front of this house where coins were minted. That building was demolished long ago.

Casa de los Medallones was restored in 1972 and is home to El Museo Numismático Dominicano / The Numismatic Museum Dominicano.

The street where this historical home is located is now called Arz. Meriño. The original street name was Calle Los Piateros translated as Silversmith’s Street.

Location:

Arzobispo Meriño #358 between Calle Mercedes and Emiliano Tejera. The house is across from the City Council parking lot.