Spain 1857 10 reales 6 point star

from the Mountain Groan Collection

This type was struck in Barcelona, Madrid and Seville 1857-64. Instead of the traditional mintmarks the issues are distinguished by six, seven or eight pointed stars on the reverse (for Madrid (shown here), Seville and Barcelona). In 1850, the twenty reales was reduced to 26.91 grams and the copper maravedis dropped in favor of 1/20, 1/10 and 1/5 reales. 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: 25,535, a better date.

Specification: 13.14 g, .900 fine silver, .380 troy oz ASW.

Catalog reference: Cayón-17113, KM 611.2.

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.
• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.

Link to:

• 1853(m) 10 reales
• 1853(s) 10 reales
• 1857-Seg 5 centimos
• 1857(m) real
• 1857(b) 2 reales
• 1857(m) 4 reales
• 1857(m) 20 reales
• 1857(b) 100 reales
• 1858(m) 20 reales
• 1861(m) 10 reales
• return to coins of Spain
• Coins and currency dated 1857