Mexico 1803-Mo 1/4 real

from the Mountain Groan Collection

This specimen, the smallest silver coin struck in colonial times, is an example of a type struck 1796-1816 thru the reigns of Charles IV and Ferdinand VII. The type is not rare tho slightly scarcer than contemporary half or one reales. Harris^[1] notes the following mints, in order of abundance: Santiago (commonest), Mexico, Lima, Guatemala, Potosi, Nuevo Reino and Popayán (rarest). The Republic of Mexico struck a silver quarter real 1842-63. It is not recorded if this coin circulated in the United States, but if so, it would have had a face value of 3-1/8 cents.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 0.84 g, .896 silver, .024 troy oz ASW.

Catalog reference: KM 62.

Source:

• ^[1]Harris, Robert P., Pillars & Portraits, San José, CA: Bonanza Press, 1968.
• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
• 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.

Link to:

• 1797 ¼ real
• Colombia 1803-NR ¼ real
• 1803 ½ real
• 1803 1 real
• 1803 2 reales
• 1803-FM 4 reales
• 1803 FT 8 reales
• 1803 TH 8 reales
• 1803 escudo
• 1803 4 escudos
• 1803 8 escudos
• 1804 ¼ real
• Coins and currency dated 1803
• return to Mexican colonial coinage, 1536-1822