Dr. Albert Estrada
Albert Estrada, Chief Curator of the Numismatic Cabinet of Catalonia, member of the Board of Directors of the Ibero-American Society of Numismatic Studies, Honorary Consul General of Slovenia in Barcelona and Numerary Member of the Royal European Academy of Doctors (READ), was admitted to the Royal Academy of Good Letters of Barcelona as a Numerary Member with Medal XVIII during a solemn ceremony held on 11 June at the academy’s headquarters. The recipient read the speech “The Corporate Medal of the Royal Academy of Good Letters of Barcelona in Its Context”. He was represented by the institution’s Numerary Member, Isabel Rodà.
The academic also coordinated the 35th edition of the Seminar on the Monetary History of the Crown of Aragon, held at the National Art Museum of Catalonia between 20 and 22 May. This was an educational activity open to the general public, with prior registration. Organised by the Numismatic Cabinet of Catalonia, this edition was held under the general title “Catalonia in the Monarchy of Philip III. Currency in Times of Crisis” and featured the participation of experts Glenn Murray, from the Friends of the Royal Mint of Segovia Foundation; Antoni Sendra, from the Catalan Society of Numismatic Studies; Maria Clua, from the Numismatic Cabinet of Catalonia; Xavier Font, also from the Catalan Society of Numismatic Studies; and Fermí Roig, a member of the same institution, as well as Estrada himself.
The academic also heads the Course on Hispanic Monetary History, held annually at the National Art Museum of Catalonia, and the course “The Metal of Coinage: Manufacture, Alloy Characterisation and Conservation-Restoration”, another clearly educational activity. Estrada joined the READ as a Corresponding Member in 2016 with the speech “The Overseas Consuls and Barcelona”, in which he highlighted the city’s importance in diplomacy throughout history, and in 2024 as a Numerary Member with “The Prize Medal in Advertising. Major Exhibitions, Brands and Propaganda in Catalonia (1888-1929)”, a comprehensive study of the prominence of the medal in exhibitions and the incorporation of industrial awards into the commercial image of companies.
