Mexico 1855-Z MO 1/2 real

Stack's Bowers June 2026 World Premier Collectors Choice Auction, lot 72259

This specimen was lot 72259 in Stack's Bowers June 2026 World Premier Collectors Choice Auction (Costa Mesa, CA, June 2026), where it sold for $341.60. The catalog description^[1] noted, "MEXICO. 1/2 Real, 1855/3-Z OM. Zacatecas Mint. NGC MS-63. Second finest of just two graded by NGC. Ray enters cap between 'R' and 'T'. From the Kirk Menczer Collection of Republican Reales Minors." Of the fourteen mints of the Republic of Mexico, only Oaxaca and Real de Catorce did not strike this type. Zacatecas half reales are known for 1826-63 and 1869 and this is a common date. Assayer OM (Manuel Ochoa and Manuel Miner) served 1831-56 and assayer MO 1855-65. The Zacatecas mint used this single letter mintmark on its half reales 1829-56, the only mint to use a different mintmark on the half real versus the larger denominations. The overdate shown here obtains a slight premium in the SCWC.

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, 1801-1900, 9th 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.

Links to:

• 1854-Z ½ real
• 1855-C ¼ real
• Chihuahua 1855 1/4 real
• 1855-G^A ¼ real
• 1855-G^A ½ real
• 1855-G^O ½ real
• 1855-M^O GF ½ real
• 1855-M^O GC ½ real
• 1855-P^I ½ real
• 1855-C^A real
• 1855-D^O real
• 1855-G^A real
• 1855-G^O real
• 1855-M^O real
• 1855-P^I real
• 1855-Z^S MO real
• 1855-Z^S OM real
• 1855-D^O 2 reales
• 1855-G^A 2 reales
• 1855-G^O 2 reales
• 1855-M^O 2 reales
• 1855-Z^S 2 reales
• 1855-G^A 4 reales
• 1855-G^O 4 reales
• 1855-M^O 4 reales
• 1855-P^I 4 reales
• 1855-Z^S 4 reales
• 1855-C 8 reales
• 1855-C^A 8 reales
• 1855-D^O 8 reales
• 1855-G^A 8 reales
• 1855-G^O 8 reales
• 1855-M^O GC 8 reales
• 1855-M^O GF 8 reales
• 1855-P^I 8 reales
• 1855-Z^S OM 8 reales
• 1855-Z^S MO 8 reales
• 1855-D^O ½ escudo
• 1855-M^O ½ escudo
• 1855-D^O escudo
• 1855-G^O 4 escudos
• 1855-G^O 8 escudos
• 1855-M^O 8 escudos
• 1856-P^I ½ real
• 1856-Z ½ real
• Coins and currency dated 1855
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