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2 Reales - Carlos I
| Issuer | Casa de Moneda de México |
|---|---|
| Year | 1536-1541 |
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| Shape | Round (irregular) |
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| Obverse description | Quartered royal arms of Castile and León surmounted by an imperial crown occupying the central field, with castles in the first and fourth quarters and lions rampant in the second and third quarters. The assayer's initials appear to either side of the shield within the inner circle. The circular legend, partially visible due to the irregular flan, reads KAROLVS ET IOHANA R, identifying the joint monarchs Charles I and Joanna. A beaded inner border frames the central device. |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | •KAROLVS•ET•IOHANA•R• •M• •P• (Translation: Kings Carlos and Juana) |
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| Additional information |
Among the earliest coins struck in the Western Hemisphere, this issue comes from the Mexico City mint's first years of operation — the Casa de Moneda having been formally established by royal decree in 1535. Production during this window was crude by any measure, with hand-cut blanks of inconsistent shape fed through screw presses operated by enslaved and coerced labor. Carlos I himself never saw the mint; the authorization came from Spain while he was managing the Hapsburg empire from across the Atlantic.
Macuquino fabric — the characteristic cob-cut planchet — means no two pieces from this run are alike in outline.