This article discusses the production, distribution and consumption of stone and copper during the Bronze Age in La Mancha. It reviews the archaeological record regarding commodity exchange within this territory in relation to other regions of the Iberian Peninsula. It discusses the results of the analyses of grindstones and metal objects collected along the north-eastern edge of La Mancha, close to the Tagus valley. The materials analysed were obtained from museum collections and recent excavations carried out in this area. We propose a new regionally-based economic model for these resource exploitation activities.