Final answer:
The Spaniards who gained wealth in the Americas were obliged to give one-fifth, known as the 'quinto', of all mined precious metals like gold and silver to the Spanish Crown, which often amounted to one-fourth of total production when factoring in refined and coined metals.
Step-by-step explanation:
The share of riches from the Americas that the Spaniards had to give to the Spanish Crown was known as the Quinto. This economic system, influenced by Spain's mercantilist ideas of the time, meant that the Crown was entitled to one-fifth of all precious metals, such as gold and silver, that were mined in the colonies. Moreover, the Crown also received a portion of the processed metals, accumulating a significant amount of the wealth extracted from the New World.
For instance, in addition to the Quinto, the Crown would get a tenth of the gold and silver that was refined and coined, effectively gathering up to one-fourth of the produced minerals. This distribution of wealth also linked to the strict regulation of trade, where only certain ports were designated for the trade with colonial possessions.