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8 Reales - Carlos IV MVA - Royalist countermark coinage
| Issuer | Mexico |
|---|---|
| Year | 1809-1822 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Round |
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| Obverse description | The obverse displays the heavily worn remains of the host coin, a Spanish colonial milled 8 Reales of Carlos IV, showing the laureate and draped bust of the king facing right, with the partially legible legend CAROLUS IIII DEI GRATIA around the periphery and the date 1798 visible in the lower exergue. Superimposed centrally on the bust are two rectangular countermark punches applied by Royalist authorities: the upper rectangle contains the monogram MVA (standing for Monclova), and the lower rectangle bears the year 1812, both struck in incuse within bordered frames. |
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| Edge | Reeded |
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| Additional information |
During the insurgency period following the 1810 Hidalgo revolt, royalist authorities in New Spain countermarked existing 8 reales coinage to authenticate currency and prevent insurgent-controlled silver from circulating undetected. The MVA mark — associated with the royalist administration — served a verification function in a monetary environment where both sides were issuing or manipulating silver coinage to fund military operations.
The date range spans the entire insurgency through independence in 1821, meaning some pieces received their countermark only months before the royalist cause collapsed entirely.