Meaning of speso | Babel Free

Definitions

An obsolete unit of Esperanto international currency.

Examples

“Thus—1 moso=1000 spesoj. The connection between the values of these theoretical and the national coins is as follows:— / 10 mosoj) are equal to 8 or 10,000 spesoj of grammes of gold.”

“The International money unit = 1 Speso. One spesmito (1 ₷ 000s.) = 1000 spesoj. 10 ₷ correspond to the value of 8 grammes of gold in the proportion of […]”

“To convert spesmiloj and spesoj readily into pence, divide by 4, disregarding the third figure to the right of the comma or decimal point (which figure is not always written).”

“An official resolution approved the adoption among Esperantists of an International means of expressing money values, as elaborated by the Science Association, taking as a unit the value of 8 grams of gold, in the proportion of 11 to 12. This unit is divided into 10 parts, called spesmiloj, value 2·003 shillings. The spesmilo consists of 100 spesdekoj, or 1,000 spesoj.”

“Esperantists. (From Am. Esperantist Co.) Spesmilo = 10 spescentoj = 100 spesdekoj = 1000 spesoj = $0.4875.”

“The proposed divisions of the spesmilo were to be 10 spesdekoj (plural of spesdeko), otherwise 100 spescentoj, otherwise 1000 spesoj.”

“As examples of this coinage, 2 denominations were minted in 1912, in very small quantities, by the Swiss firm Holy Frères: a 1 Spesmilo (“milo” meaning “thousand”; 1,000 spesoj; I purchased mine from Aspen Coins), and a 2 Spesmiloj (2,000 spesoj). […] Three additional patterns may have been produced for a minting that never occurred: spesdeko (10 spesoj), spescento (100 spesoj), spesdekmilo (10,000 spesoj).”

“The first project was started by Prof. René de Saussure, who was actually only hoping for an imaginary international unit of currency that would enable convenient conversions between national currencies. Although from his point of view coins and banknotes were not really required, on Esperanto’s 25th anniversary in 1912, the first (so-called “fantasy”) coins of 1,000 and 2,000 “spesoj” were released. In 1907, when there were still no such coins in existence, the German Esperantists Herbert F. Höveler considered putting the speso system into practice in the banking service. In 1908 he founded the Esperantist Cheque Bank. Various means of transferring money were made available, with the speso as the currency.”

“The monetary unit would be the Speso without fractions but with multiples in values of ten, one hundred, one thousand and ten thousand spesoj (also called respectively spesdeko, spescento, spesmilo and spesdekmilo). […] In 1912 the Swiss firm Holy Frères was commissioned to produce a series of coins for the Universal Esperanto Association to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the creation of the language. The coins were minted in nominal values of 1- and 2-spesmilo (i.e. one thousand and two thousand spesoj).”

American Esperantist

CEFR level