4 Reales - Carlos III

Carlos III inherited the Spanish throne in 1759 and almost immediately set about reforming colonial minting practices, but Guatemala's cob-style coinage — the macuquina — persisted well into his reign before milled coinage fully displaced it. The Casa de Moneda de Guatemala, established in 1731, was one of the smaller colonial mints and its output from this period is considerably scarcer than comparable issues from Mexico City or Lima.

KM#26 spans the macuquina-to-milled transition years at this facility. Pieces struck toward the end of the 1760s reflect tightening quality standards imposed under the Bourbon reform program.