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4 Reales Rafael Carrera
| Issuer | Guatemala |
|---|---|
| Year | 1860-1864 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Milled |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse description | Central field displays the denomination numeral '4' above the legend REALES and the year of issue, all enclosed within an ornate scrolled laurel wreath rendered in a decorative style characteristic of mid-nineteenth-century Central American coinage. Below the wreath, in the exergue, the fineness indicator and assayer's initial appear as '21 Q R', denoting 21 karats gold fineness and the responsible mint official. The outer border is defined by a continuous toothed rim. |
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| Mintage | 1860 - - 276,541 1861 - - 90,440 1864 - - 12,065 |
| Additional information |
Rafael Carrera ruled Guatemala as its first president — and from 1854, as president-for-life — following a peasant revolt he led against the liberal reforms that had dismantled traditional indigenous land rights and the Catholic Church's authority. This small gold piece was issued under that authoritarian consolidation, a period when Guatemala's monetary system remained fragmented and unreliable despite decades of independence from Spain.
The extremely low weight places this among the smallest gold coins in Central American numismatics. KM#135 is notably scarce in any condition, reflecting both limited mintage and the tendency of such small-denomination gold to disappear into jewelry use or simple loss.