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1/2 Real - Carlos IV Proclamation Coinage
| Issuer | Mexico City Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 1789 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1/2 Real |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Within an open wreath of laurel and olive branches tied at the base with a small rosette, a five-line proclamation inscription occupies the central field. A small floral ornament appears below the wreath at the base. The whole is enclosed within the reeded outer border characteristic of the milled coinage. |
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| Reverse lettering | PROCLAMA DO*EN*MÉXI CO*AÑO*DE 1789. * (Translation: Proclaimed in Mexico, year of 1789) |
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| Additional information |
Proclamation coins were struck not for circulation but for ceremony — scattered by officials into crowds during the public acclamation ritual following a new king's coronation announcement. Carlos IV's proclamation in 1789 coincided almost exactly with the outbreak of revolution in France, a fact his court was acutely aware of as they staged these loyalty-affirming spectacles throughout New Spain.
The Mexico City pieces for this issue were produced in very small quantities, intended to be caught, kept, and displayed rather than spent. Many survivors show no wear for precisely that reason.