Mexico (1546-47)-Mo A 1/2 real
The first specimen was lot 11049 in Ponterio sale 169 (Baltimore, November 2012), where it sold for $382. The catalog description[1] noted, "MEXICO. Carlos & Johanna, Late Series. 1/2 Real, ND (ca. 1546/7). Assayer A. Very scarce. 'A' to left of monogram. Full legends. FINE." The second specimen was lot 31279 in Heritage sale 3064 (Chicago, April 2018), where it sold for $576. The catalog description[2] noted, "Charles & Johanna "Late Series" 1/2 Real ND (1542-57) A-?M? F15 NGC, Mexico City mint. Heavily circulated, however finer than all others that we've seen of this denomination from this short-lived 'A' assayer, with a strike that is ideally centered and a flan that is slightly wavy, yet holds no major damage. Perfectly suited for the collector looking to assemble a high-end set by assayer. Selections from the Isaac Rudman Numismatic Cabinet." The "Carlos and Johanna" coinage of 1536-55 is complicated and difficult to disentangle as records are sparse and the coins are not dated.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 1.69 g, 0.931 fine silver, .050 troy oz ASW; the second specimen 20 mm diameter, 1.6 g.
Catalog reference: KM-6.5; Nes-59b; Cal-type-120#170, Cayón-3004.
- Krause, Chester L., and Colin R. Bruce II, Standard Catalog of World Coins: Spain, Portugal and the New World, Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2002.
- Cayón, Adolfo, Clemente Cayón and Juan Cayón, Las Monedas Españolas, del Tremis al Euro: del 411 a Nuestros Dias, 2 volumes, Madrid: Cayón-Jano S.L., 2005.
- Calicó, Xavier, Numismática Española: Catálogo General con Precios de Todas las Monedas Españolas Acuñadas desde Los Reyes Católicos Hasta Felipe VI, 1474 a 2020, Barcelona: Aureo & Calicó, 2019.
- Menzel, Sewall, Cobs, Pieces of Eight and Treasure Coins, New York: The American Numismatic Society, 2004.
- [1]Ponterio, Richard, Ponterio sale 169: The November 2012 Baltimore Auction, Irvine, CA: Stack's Bowers, LLC, 2012.
- [2]Cristiano Bierrenbach and Warren Tucker, Heritage World Coin Auction 3064, featuring the Doug Robins Collection of Canadian Tokens, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2018.
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