1 Real - Carlos IV

Carlos IV inherited the Spanish throne in 1788, the same year his father Carlos III died, and the Colombian mints at Santa Fe de Bogotá and Popayán were already deep into the machinery of colonial silver production. The 1 Real sat at the bottom of the silver denominations — the coin that absorbed the most actual use, changing hands in markets, taverns, and toll roads across New Granada until it wore to near-illegibility.

The Popayán mint, which produced this type alongside Santa Fe, drew its silver directly from the mines of the Cauca region. Distinguishing the two mint outputs requires attention to assayer initials, with known pairings documented across Hernández's listings for this exact type.