Peru 1774-L MJ 1/2 real

from the Mountain Groan Collection

This type was struck 1772-84. There was a slight debasement in 1785 to 0.896 fine but the design was not changed, the debasement being kept secret. The assayer is MJ (1773-79). As a class, colonial coinage of Peru is much less plentiful than that of Mexico, tho it is more available than the remaining mints. However, Harris^[2] noted only one-sixth as many Peruvian half reales of Charles IV as that of Mexico, so it is safe to say that this type is scarce.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 1.69 g, 0.903 fine silver.

Catalog reference: Cayón-11125, KM-74.

Source:

• ^[2]Harris, Robert P., Pillars & Portraits, San José, CA: Bonanza Press, 1968.
• 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.
• Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.

Link to:

• 1772 pillar ½ real
• Colombia 1774-P JS 1/2 real
• Mexico 1774-Mo FM 1/2 real
• Spain 1774-M PJ 1/2 real
• 1774 4 reales
• 1774-JM 8 reales
• 1774-MJ 8 reales
• 1774 escudo
• 1774 4 escudos
• 1774 8 escudos
• 1776 ½ real
• Coins and currency dated 1774