Gold coin struck in Spain by the Visigoths and Moors, and briefly by Aragon and Castile. There were ten dinero to a maravedi.
Depending on the period and place minted, there were anywhere from 48 (Visigoths, 6th Century) to 125 (Castile, 14th Century) gold maravedi to the mark (which was eight ounces of gold). In the Cid's time, the value was around 57 to the mark.
And he came up with them between Atienza and San Estevan de Gormaz, as they were carrying away a great booty in captives and in flocks, and there he had a brave battle with them in the field; and in fine Rodrigo conquered, smiting and slaying, and the pursuit lasted for seven leagues, and he recovered all the spoil, which was so great that two hundred horses were the fifth, for the whole spoil was worth a hundred times a thousand maravedis.
This they did to set his heart at rest, that he might confide in them, and send away Alvar Fanez into his own country, and not keep him and his people at so great a charge, for it cost them daily six hundred maravedis, and the King had no treasure in Valencia, neither was he so rich that he could support his own company and supply this payment; and for this reason the Moors complained of the great cost.
And they all sent to King Don Alfonso to beseech him that he would take the son of Abdalla Azis and all that he had under his protection, so that Yahia might do no evil unto him, neither take by force from him anything that was his; and for this protection he promised to give the King thirty thousand maravedis yearly.
When the Guazil knew this he took his son and his uncle as sureties for him for the thirty thousand maravedis, which the Jew was now come to receive for King Don Alfonso.
Then the Cid went to Valencia, and King Yahia received him full honourably, and made a covenant with him to give him weekly four thousand maravedis of silver, and he on his part was to reduce the Castles to his obedience, so that they should pay the same rents unto him as had been paid unto the former Kings of Valencia; and that the Cid should protect him against all men, Moors or Christians, and have his home in Valencia, and bring all his booty there to be sold, and that he should have his granaries there.
And the Cid demanded of them fifty thousand maravedis of silver, every year: and the covenant was made between them, and the whole country from Tortosa to Orihuela was under his protection and at his command.
For every thousand maravedis a hundred more were paid for a Bishop, whom the Moors called Alat Almarian.
Each of these knights had three maravedis daily.
Then the Cid besieged Liria, and the people submitted unto him, that they should pay him yearly two thousand maravedis.
And moreover the thousand maravedis per week, which they were wont to pay him should be paid for the whole time which they had been in arms, and also from that time forth.
And he says that the cafiz of wheat was valued at eleven maravedis, and the cafiz of barley at seven maravedis, and that of pulse or other grain at six; and the arroba of honey at fifteen dineros; and the arroba of carobs the third of a maravedi, and the arroba of onions two thirds of a maravedi, and the arroba of cheese two maravedis and a half, and the measure of oil which the Moors call maron, a maravedi, and the quintal of figs five maravedis, and the pound of mutton six dineros of silver, and the pound of beef four.
These maravedis were silver ones, for no other money was current among them.
And the Cid made war afresh upon the city as cruelly as he could, and the price of bread was now three times as great as it had been at the beginning; the load of wheat was worth a hundred maravedis of silver, and the pound of flesh was a maravedi.
And with all these miseries the price of food became exceeding great, for the cafiz of wheat was priced at ninety maravedis, and that of barley at eighty, and that of panic at eighty and five, and that of all pulse at sixty, and the arroba of figs seven, and of honey twenty, and of cheese eighteen, and of carobs sixteen, and of onions twelve, and the measure of oil twenty: flesh there was none, neither of beast nor of anything else; but if a beast died, the pound was worth three maravedis.
And the pound of wheat cost a maravedi and a half, and that of barley a maravedi, and that of panic a maravedi and a quarter, and of pulse a maravedi, and of flax-seed three parts of a maravedi, and of cheese three dineros, and of honey three, and of figs one; and the panilla of oil was eight dineros, and the pound of colewort five, and the ounce of carobs three parts of a dinero, and the ounce of onions the same, and the head of garlick the same; and a pound of beast's flesh was six maravedis, and grape-stones were half a dinero the pound, and the skins of kine and of beasts five dineros: the dinero was silver, for there was no money current save silver and gold.
Presently on the morrow they sent five good men as messengers to the King of Zaragoza, and as many more to Murcia; and it had been covenanted that neither of these messengers should take with him more than fifty maravedis for his journey, and that they should go by sea as far as Denia, in a ship of the Christians, and from thence by land.
These messengers embarked with their company on board that ship, and the Cid sent orders to the master thereof not to sail till he came; and the Cid came himself in his own body and bade them search the messengers to see if they took with them more than had been agreed; and he found upon them great riches in gold and in silver and in pearls and in precious stones; part was their own, and part belonged to other merchants in the city, who thought to send it to Murcia, not being minded to abide in Valencia: and he took it all, leaving them no more than fifty maravedis each, according to the covenant.
This was the price of food on the day when these messengers departed: the pound of wheat was three maravedis, and the pound of barley one and a half, and the pound of panic three, saving a quarter; the ounce of cheese three dineros, and the ounce of hemp seed four, and the pound of colewort one maravedi and two dineros of silver, and the pound of neat-skin one maravedi.
And the butcher sold the flesh of that horse at ten maravedis the short pound, and afterwards at twelve, and the head for twenty doblas of gold.
And if ye had done that before which ye have done now, ye would not have been brought to these sufferings and have bought the cafiz of wheat at a thousand maravedis; but I trust in God to bring it to one maravedi.