3 Reales - Carlos I

Among the earliest coins struck in the Western Hemisphere, this issue dates to the founding years of the Casa de Moneda de México — the first mint established in the Americas, authorized by a royal decree from Carlos I in 1535. Production began the following year under assayer Francisco del Rincón, whose mark appears on pieces from this period. The 3 reales denomination was itself unusual; it saw limited use in Spanish colonial coinage and was quietly abandoned within a few years, making survivors from this narrow window exceptionally scarce.