Catalog
4 Escudos - Fernando VI
| Issuer | Mexico City Mint (Viceroyalty of New Spain) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1747 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | The crowned quartered arms of Castile and León occupy the central field, displaying alternating castles and lions in the four quarters with a central escutcheon bearing the fleur-de-lis of the Bourbon dynasty, surmounted by an elaborate royal crown. The mint mark 'M' for Mexico City and assayer initials 'MF' appear to the left of the shield, with the denomination numeral '4' to the right, each flanked by small rosette ornaments. The reverse motto INITIUM SAPIENTIÆ TIMOR DOMINI encircles the design along the periphery. The entire composition is executed in the refined milled style introduced at the Mexico City Mint in the 1730s. A small hole is visible at the bottom of the coin below the shield. |
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| Additional information |
Fernando VI's accession in 1746 brought immediate pressure on colonial mints to update their coinage, and the Mexico City facility — already the most productive gold mint in the Spanish empire — adapted quickly. The 1747 date places this piece in the earliest years of his reign, before the administrative reforms of the 1750s began standardizing output across New Spain's minting operations.
Cob-style production had long since given way to milled coinage at Mexico City by this point, but quality control remained inconsistent enough that planchet irregularities are frequently encountered on this type.