1/2 Real - Carlos III

Carlos III inherited the Spanish throne in 1759 after ruling Naples for over two decades, bringing with him reformist Bourbon policies that would reshape colonial administration throughout the Americas. The Guatemala mint — operating in Santiago de los Caballeros — was producing cob-style macuquina coinage well into his reign, a method already considered archaic by European standards. These half reales circulated widely across Central America and into Pacific trade networks, often alongside milled coinage from Mexico City.

The Guatemala mint suffered repeated disruptions from the catastrophic 1773 earthquake that destroyed Santiago, forcing relocation to the present capital. Coins struck in the years immediately before that event are sometimes distinguishable by assayer marks.