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1/2 Real - Felipe IV
| Issuer | Casa de Moneda de México |
|---|---|
| Year | 1622-1662 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1/2 Real |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | A plain cross with serifs occupies the central field, dividing the design into four quarters alternately bearing the castles of Castile and the lions of León in the characteristic quartered arms of the Spanish Crown. A partial circular Latin legend runs along the periphery of the irregularly shaped flan. The design is struck in the macuquina (cob) tradition, resulting in weak and off-center detail typical of this series. The heraldic devices are boldly rendered despite the crude planchet preparation. |
| Reverse script | Latin |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
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| Additional information |
Felipe IV's reign coincided with Spain's accelerating fiscal exhaustion — decades of war across Europe drained Castilian silver faster than the American mints could ship it. The Mexico City mint during this period operated under a cob coinage system, meaning each piece was hand-cut from a cast silver bar and hammer-struck without a collar, producing the irregular planchet shape characteristic of macuquinas. Quality control was notoriously inconsistent, and the mint was rocked by a major fraud scandal in the 1640s when assayers were found adulterating the silver content of cobs destined for remittance to Spain.
The half real was the smallest silver denomination in regular production, and survivors in any identifiable condition are scarcer than their larger counterparts simply because so few were carefully preserved.