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1/2 Real - Felipe II
| Issuer | Casa de Moneda de México |
|---|---|
| Year | 1572-1598 |
| 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 |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | A florenzada (floriate) cross with elaborate arms divides the field into four quadrants, each containing alternating castles and lions within eight tressures. The earliest issues struck under assayer 'O' display a plain cross, while later issues feature ornate lions and castles in a more decorative rendering. The legend ET.INDIARVM.REX is arranged around the periphery of the design. The overall composition follows the standard macuquer (cob) coinage style typical of Spanish colonial mints of the period. |
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| Additional information |
Felipe II authorized the Casa de Moneda de México — the first mint established in the Americas, operating since 1535 — to produce these cob-style pieces (macuquinas) as colonial silver extraction from Zacatecas and Guanajuato began scaling dramatically in the 1570s. The half real occupied the lowest denomination in the silver series, functioning as everyday change in a colonial economy where even fractional silver was more reliable than any available alternative.
The irregular planchet shape is not damage or wear — it is the expected result of the cob method, where slugs were cut from silver bars, weighed individually, and struck without preparation beyond trimming to approximate weight.