Spain 1854 4 reales 8 point star

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Aureo sale 233, lot 354

The specimen shown was lot 354 in Aureo y Calicó sale 233 (Barcelona, April 2011), where it sold for 370 euro (about US$616 including buyer's fee). The catalog description[1] noted,

"1854. Barcelona. 4 reales. Bella. Brillo original. Rara así. EBC+/S/C-. (Four reales de vellon, 1854, Barcelona mint. Handsome, mint luster, rare thus, extremely fine to about uncirculated.)

This type was struck in Barcelona, Madrid and Seville 1852-55. Instead of the traditional mintmarks the issues are distinguished by six, seven or eight pointed stars on the reverse (for Madrid, Seville and Barcelona). In 1850, the 20 reales was reduced to 26.91 grams and the copper maravedis dropped in favor of 1/20, 1/10 and 1/5 reales. Under the new system, this four reales was worth one fifth of a peso instead of the former half. Unfortunately, the Spanish government, financially prostrate as usual, was unable to remint the old coins, which continued to circulate as before. The coinage would be reformed a second time in 1866.

Recorded mintage: unknown but a scarce date.

Specification: 5.26 g, 0.900 fine silver, .152 troy oz ASW, 23.2 mm diameter.

Catalog reference: Cayón-17028, KM 600.1, Cal-274.

Sources:

  • 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.
  • [1]Sisó, Teresa, Eduardo Domingo and Lluís Lalana, COLECCIÓN ANASTASIA DE QUIROGA, Barcelona: Aureo y Calicó Subastas, 2011.
  • Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.

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