Catalog
2 Reales - Louis I
| Issuer | Casa de Moneda de Potosí |
|---|---|
| Year | 1725-1727 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 2 Reales |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Log in to see details |
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| In circulation to | 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 | The reverse displays the characteristic Pillars of Hercules design flanking the crowned royal monogram, with the denomination numeral '2' prominently struck in the upper field alongside the assayer's initial 'Y' for Diego de Ybarbourou. The legend 'PLVS VLTRA' appears in abbreviated form across the central field, referencing the Spanish royal motto. The mint mark 'P' for Potosí is present, and the date '725' or '726' is partially visible in the lower portion of the irregular cob flan. The hammered strike produces the typical uneven impressions and ragged edges associated with macuquina coinage of this period. |
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| Edge | Log in to see details |
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| Additional information |
Louis I of Spain reigned for just seven months in 1724 before dying of smallpox in August, making any coinage struck under his name exceptionally short-lived by issue. The Potosí mint, operating in what is now Bolivia at roughly 4,000 meters elevation, continued striking cob-style macuquina coinage well into the 1720s — a medieval technique already obsolete in Europe but still the dominant production method at this high-altitude facility.
The date range extending to 1727 reflects posthumous striking under his name, a common administrative lag at colonial mints where assayer rotations and die inventories could outlast the monarch who authorized them.