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8 Reales - Fernando VII Madrid, 1st portrait
| Issuer | Royal Mint of Spain (Real Casa de la Moneda) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1812-1813 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | Crowned Spanish royal coat of arms occupying the centre of the field, the quartered shield displaying castles for Castile and lions for León in the principal quarters, with the Bourbon fleurs-de-lis on an oval escutcheon at fess point. The crowned shield is flanked to the left by the Madrid mint mark (crowned M) and assayers' initials I·J·, and to the right by the denomination numeral 8, with the value indicator R (for Reales) to the left of the shield. The surrounding circular legend reads · HISPANIARUM · REX · (King of the Spains), with the coin exhibiting attractive iridescent toning across the field. |
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| Additional information |
The 1812–1813 Madrid 8 Reales occupies an awkward historical moment: Fernando VII was not in Spain when these were struck. He remained a prisoner of Napoleon at Valençay while the Cortes of Cádiz governed in his name, fighting the Peninsular War against French occupation. The mint was producing coinage for a king who had no power and no presence, under a regency whose own authority was constitutionally contested.
The "1st portrait" designation distinguishes this type from later busts introduced after Fernando's return in 1814. Madrid production in these years was intermittent, directly tied to the progress of Wellington's campaign — the city changed hands more than once.