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4 Maravedis - Carlos I
| Issuer | Casa de Moneda de México |
|---|---|
| Year | 1536-1538 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
These represent the first copper coins struck in the Americas. The Mexico City mint — established by a royal cedula from Carlos I in 1535 — began copper maravedí production almost immediately, though the issues proved deeply unpopular. Indigenous populations had no tradition of copper coinage, and Spanish settlers considered the denomination too small to bother with. Most were hoarded, lost, or discarded rather than circulated, which is precisely why surviving examples are so elusive today.
The mint abandoned copper coinage entirely within a few years, making this one of the shortest-lived series in New World minting history.