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1/2 Real - Philip III
| Issuer | Casa de la Moneda de Potosí |
|---|---|
| Year | 1598-1618 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Quartered coat of arms of the Spanish Crown displayed within a plain inner circle, divided by a bold cross of Jerusalem into four quadrants. The upper-left and lower-right quadrants bear the castles of Castile, while the upper-right and lower-left quadrants display the lions of León; a pomegranate or small charge occupies the central escutcheon on some strikes. The surrounding field retains traces of the circular legend, though as is typical of macuquina cob coinage, the legend and design elements are only partially visible due to the irregular shape and off-center striking of the hammered flan. The overall composition follows the standard type established for Spanish colonial coinage of the period. |
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| Mintage | ND (1598-1605) P - B-P (Áureo & Calicó# 403) - ND (1605-1613) P - P-R (Áureo & Calicó# 405) - ND (1605-1613) P - R-P (Áureo & Calicó# 406) - ND (1613-1617) P - P-Q (Áureo & Calicó# 409) - ND (1613-1617) P - Q-P (Áureo & Calicó# 410) - 1617 P - M (Áureo & Calicó# 413) - 1618 P - PAL (Rare) - 1618 P - T (Áureo & Calicó# 415) - 1618 P - T/PAL (Rare) - |
| Additional information |
Philip III inherited the Potosí mint at its most chaotic. The cerro rico was producing silver at a scale that distorted European monetary systems, yet quality control on small-denomination cobs was essentially nonexistent — assayers were routinely bribed, and the fineness scandals that erupted formally in 1649 under Philip IV had roots reaching back into exactly this period. Half-real cobs were the denomination most likely to be clipped and re-spent without detection, making surviving examples of correct weight genuinely useful as period documents.