Mexico 1736-Mo MF 1/2 real

from the Mountain Groan Collection

This 1736 half real from the Mexico City mint is an example of the first design for pillar fractionals, where the obverse legend surrounds the periphery. This design was changed in 1742 to allow the crown to extend to the rim (see the 1743 ½ real). This issue is rated by Gilboy^[1] as common, though he lists one variety for this year, that of a 1736/5 overdate, as being rare.

Mexican numismatists hotly debate which side of the coin constitutes the obverse. Gilboy^[1] depicts the shield side as the obverse as that side bears the king's name. However, auction catalogs and dealer listings more frequently use the pillars and globes side as the obverse, as that side bears the date.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 1.68 grams, 0.917 fine silver, 0.049 troy oz ASW.

Catalog reference: Cayón-8260, Gilboy M-05-9, KM 65.

Source:

• ^[1]Gilboy, Frank F., The Milled Columnarios of Central and South America: Spanish American Pillar Coinage, 1732 to 1772, Regina, Saskatchewan: Prairie Wind Publishing, 1999.
• 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.
• Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
• Harris, Robert P., Pillars & Portraits, San José, CA: Bonanza Press, 1968.

Links to:

• 1735 ½ real
• 1736-Mo F ½ real
• 1736 1 real
• 1736 2 reales
• 1736 4 reales
• 1736 8 reales
• 1736 escudo
• 1736 4 escudos
• 1736 8 escudos
• 1737 ½ real
• 1738/7 ½ real
• Coins and currency dated 1736
• return to Mexican colonial coinage, 1536-1822.