Carlos II inherited the Spanish throne at age four in 1665, leaving actual governance to a succession of regents and court factions for most of his reign. The Mexico City mint during this period was producing cob coinage — macuquinas — under a system that prioritized silver content over striking consistency, which is why individual pieces from this type vary so dramatically in shape and strike quality. These are not flaws; they are the direct product of how colonial mints operated under the assayer-accountability system, where the assayer's initial guaranteed weight and fineness, not appearance.
KM#29 pieces are distinguished from adjacent issues primarily by the assayer initial on the cob — a detail that narrows attribution within this long date range considerably.
Carlos II inherited the Spanish throne at age four in 1665, leaving actual governance to a succession of regents and court factions for most of his reign. The Mexico City mint during this period was producing cob coinage — macuquinas — under a system that prioritized silver content over striking consistency, which is why individual pieces from this type vary so dramatically in shape and strike quality. These are not flaws; they are the direct product of how colonial mints operated under the assayer-accountability system, where the assayer's initial guaranteed weight and fineness, not appearance.
KM#29 pieces are distinguished from adjacent issues primarily by the assayer initial on the cob — a detail that narrows attribution within this long date range considerably.