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4 Maravedis - Charles and Joanna without crowns above pillars
| Issuer | Casa de Contratación / Santo Domingo Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 1542-1556 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 4 Maravedis (2⁄17) |
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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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| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Central field features a large castles-and-lions design, representing the royal arms of Castile and León, struck in the hammered style characteristic of Santo Domingo mint production under the joint reign of Charles and Joanna. The circumferential Latin legend HISPANIARUM ET INDIARUM encircles the design, proclaiming dominion over the Spains and the Indies. The planchet is irregular in shape with characteristic flan cracks and surface porosity consistent with copper coinage of this period and mint. Strike definition is weak in areas due to the hammered technique and uneven planchet preparation. |
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| Reverse lettering | HISPANIARUM ET INDIARUM |
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| Additional information |
Charles and Joanna's coinage for Santo Domingo represents some of the earliest European-style copper struck in the Americas, produced at a mint established by royal decree in 1536. The "without crowns" variety — distinguishing this from related types — reflects a documented inconsistency in die preparation at Santo Domingo, not a deliberate policy change. The mint operated under chronic shortages of skilled engravers, which accounts for the considerable variation seen across surviving specimens.
Cal#209 is genuinely scarce. Santo Domingo's output was modest compared to later mainland mints at Mexico City or Lima, and copper circulated hard in a colonial port economy.