Mexico 1831-Z OV 1/2 real

Stack's Bowers June 2026 World Premier Collectors Choice Auction, part of lot 72265

This specimen was part of lot 72265 in Stack's Bowers June 2026 World Premier Collectors Choice Auction (Costa Mesa, CA, June 2026), which sold for $561.20. The catalog description^[1] noted, "MEXICO. Group of 1/2 Reales (18 Pieces), 1826-62. Zacatecas Mint. Grade Range: EF Details to VF Details. A group of mixed date 1/2 Reales with various conditions and wear. From the Kirk Menczer Collection of Republican Reales Minors." The half real was popular among the people for making small transactions but most of the Mexican mints regarded making them a nuisance in the way of striking eight reales. Only Mexico City, Guanajuato and Zacatecas took seriously government decrees to issue small change. This specimen was struck at the Zacatecas mint in 1831, one of a type struck there 1826-63 and 1869. The larger denominations of this mint show the "Z^S" mintmark but this one uses a simple "Z". Assayer OV is listed for 1829-31. Assayer OM (Manuel Ochoa and Manuel Miner, served 1831-56) also stamped half reales in 1831. The SCWC lists the 1831-OM as common, which it probably isn't, while the 1831-OV is scarce.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 1.69 g, 0.903 fine silver, .049 troy oz ASW.

Catalog reference: KM-370.11.

Source:

• Busse, Dave, A Minor Challenge: A Study of Mexican Republic Silver ¼, ½, 1, 2 and 4 Reales Die Styles,, Harlingen, TX: 2018.
• Buttrey, T. V., and Clyde Hubbard, A Guide Book of Mexican Coins, 1822 to date, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 1992.
• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
• Utberg, Neil S., The Coins of Mexico, 1536-1963, San Antonio, TX, 1963.
• ^[1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, June 2026 World Premier Collectors Choice Auction - Selections from the L.E. Bruun Collection, the Richard Margolis Collection and the Kirk Menczer Collection of Republican Reales Minors, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2026.

Link to:

• 1830-Z^S ½ real
• 1831-M^O ¼ real
• Zacatecas 1831 ¼ real
• 1831-G^A ½ real
• 1831-G^O ½ real
• 1831-M^O ½ real
• 1831-P^I ½ real
• 1831-G^A real
• 1831-G^O real
• 1831-M^O real
• 1831-P^I real
• 1831-Z^S OV real
• 1831-Z^S OM real
• 1831-G^A 2 reales
• 1831-G^O 2 reales
• 1831-M^O 2 reales
• 1831-Z^S OM 2 reales
• 1831-Z^S OV 2 reales
• 1831-Z^S 4 reales
• 1831-C^A 8 reales
• 1831-D^O 8 reales
• 1831-G^A LP 8 reales
• 1831-G^A FS 8 reales
• 1831-G^O 8 reales
• 1831-M^O 8 reales
• 1831-P^I 8 reales
• 1831-Z^S OV 8 reales
• 1831-Z^S OM 8 reales
• 1831-G^A ½ escudo
• 1831-M^O ½ escudo
• 1831-G^A escudo
• 1831-M^O escudo
• 1831-M^O 2 escudos
• 1831-G^O 4 escudos
• 1831-M^O 8 escudos
• 1832-Z ½ real
• Coins and currency dated 1831
• return to Mexican imperial and republican coinage, 1822-1905