Spain 1839-B PS 4 reales
This specimen was lot 43461 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2023), where it sold for $264. The catalog description[1] noted, "SPAIN. 4 Reales, 1839-B PS. Barcelona Mint. Isabel II. PCGS MS-61." This specimen was struck in Seville in 1839 to the "vellon" standard. The type was struck in Barcelona 1838-47, in Madrid 1837-49 and Seville 1837-45; the Barcelona issues are the most common. The "de vellon" coinage system, used in Spain 1808-50, set twenty reales = one peso instead of the traditional eight. The coins minted using that standard were not marked in any way different from the concurrent eight reales standard, a source of confusion for collectors today. It must have been a major irritant for the inhabitants of the time. In 1850 the currency was decimalized and the twenty reales reduced to 26.91 grams.
Recorded mintage: unknown but a scarce date.
Specification: 5.97 g, 0.812 fine silver, .156 troy oz ASW, 23-24 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: Cayón-16986, KM-519.1; Cal-262.
- 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 Juan Carlos I, 1474 a 2001, Barcelona: Aureo & Calicó, 2008.
- O'Connor, Patrick, The Coins of Queen Isabel II of Spain: A Detailed Study of the Coins, Patterns and Medals of Her Reign, San Antonio, TX: Aurora Rarities, LLC, 2017.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The January 2023 NYINC Auction: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, featuring the Taraszka Collection and the Mark and Dottie Salton Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2022.
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