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1/2 Real - Enrique IV Toledo
| Issuer | Castile and Leon, Kingdom of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1455-1471 |
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| Value | 1/2 Real |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Central field features a Gothic crowned monogram of the letter 'E' (for Enrique), surmounted by an elaborate Gothic crown with floral finials, all set within a beaded inner circle. The monogram is rendered in high relief in the characteristic late medieval Castilian hammered style. A Latin legend surrounds the device between the inner beaded circle and the irregular flan edge, partially legible due to the nature of hammered coinage. |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | ENRICVS REX CASTELLE (Translation: Henry King of Castile) |
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| Additional information |
Enrique IV's reign was financially chaotic almost by design. He debased the coinage so aggressively — authorizing dozens of mints, many operating without adequate supervision — that by the late 1460s counterfeit and substandard coin had overwhelmed legitimate circulation. The Toledo mint was among the more regulated of the authorized facilities, but even its output varied considerably. A monetary ordinance of 1471 attempted to claw back control, though by then the damage to public confidence in Castilian silver was largely done.
AB#702 places this type within the broader Enriquean series distinguished by the Toledo mint mark.