Catalog
| Issuer | Peru |
|---|---|
| Year | 1684-1700 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
| Value | 1 Real |
| Currency | Real (1568-1858) |
| Composition | Silver (.931) |
| Weight | 3.3834 g |
| Diameter | 20 mm |
| Thickness | 1.8 mm |
| Shape | Cob |
| Technique | |
| Orientation | |
| Engraver(s) | |
| In circulation to | |
| Reference(s) | KM#20 |
| Obverse description | Cross of Jerusalem with lions and castle in the quarters and legend around |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | |
| Obverse lettering | |
| Reverse description | Pillars and waves with mintmark, value, assayers initials, `PLVS VLTRA`, and partial date. |
| Reverse script | |
| Reverse lettering |
L I H PL VS VL(TRA) (H) 96 (L) (Translation: Further Beyond) |
| Edge | |
| Mint | |
| Mintage |
1684 LV - - 733 851 1685 LR - - 1 531 184 1686 LR - - 1 453 437 1687 LR - - 1 308 798 1688 LR - - 811 018 1689 LV - - 949 256 1690 LR - - 1 009 288 1690 LV - - 1691 LR - - 481 244 1692 LV - - 1 367 443 1693 LV - - 1 203 595 1694 LM - - 1 430 852 1695 LR - - 1 568 336 1696 LH - - 1 943 677 1697 LH - - 865 506 1698 LH - - 999 104 1699 LR - - 1700 LH - - 836 043 |
| Numisquare ID | 4549061890 |
| Additional information |
Historical Context: This 1 Real coin, issued from Peru (1684-1700), dates to the reign of Carlos II, Spain's last Habsburg monarch. Known as "El Hechizado" (The Bewitched), his rule marked imperial decline, yet Peru's vast silver mines supplied immense wealth to the Spanish Crown. Struck in Lima, this coinage represents the economic backbone of a fading empire, funding its administration and European conflicts amidst political instability and the looming War of the Spanish Succession.
Artistry: The design of this 1 Real adheres to the "cob" or macuquina style, characterized by irregular planchets and functional aesthetics. Individual engravers are not typically attributed. The obverse displays the Spanish Habsburg shield, flanked by the Lima mint mark (L) and assayer's initial. The reverse features a Jerusalem cross, with castles and lions, encircled by the monarch's legend and denomination. Focus was on ensuring correct weight and fineness, often at the expense of a full, clear strike.
Technical/Grading: Due to rudimentary production, the technical strike quality of these cobs is highly variable. High-points for grading include clarity of the mint mark, assayer's initial, denomination, and visible date or monarch's name. Full legends and a complete date are exceedingly rare and highly desirable. Strikes are frequently off-center, weak, or double-struck, reflecting manual hammer striking on crudely prepared silver blanks. The irregular shape, nominal 20mm diameter, and .931 silver fineness are characteristic.