Catalog
4 Reales - Philip IV
| Issuer | Casa de la Moneda de Potosí |
|---|---|
| Year | 1652-1666 |
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| Value | 4 Reales |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Quartered shield of the Spanish Royal Arms displayed in a cross-divided field, with castles (Castile) in the upper-left and lower-right quarters and rampant lions (León) in the upper-right and lower-left quarters, all rendered in the bold, slightly irregular relief characteristic of hammered cob coinage. A partial beaded inner border frames the shield, and fragmentary Latin legend is visible around the periphery on the irregularly shaped flan. The entire design reflects the macuquina (cob) style, with characteristic flan irregularities and incomplete strike typical of Potosí mint production of this period. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
The Potosí mint's cob coinage — macuquinas — from this precise window sits at the center of one of the most consequential numismatic scandals in colonial history. In 1649, assayer Francisco de la Casa was found to have been systematically debasing silver intended for royal coinage at Potosí, shaving fineness well below the mandated standard. The fraud had run for years. Crown investigations led to executions, the destruction of existing dies, and a complete administrative reorganization of the mint by 1652 — which marks the hard opening of this type's date range.
Coins struck in the years immediately following that purge carry assayer marks reflecting the new regime of oversight. The KM#R18 designation covers the rare assayer variants within the series.