CVC & Collectables presents this Mexico City Mint 1 Real struck under Philip II during the late 16th century, certified NGC VF35. This finely detailed hammered silver piece represents Spain’s early colonial coinage in New Spain, featuring a full crowned Habsburg shield and a bold Jerusalem cross reverse. VF35 is a strong grade for these irregular, heavily circulated early Reales.
Coin Highlights:
- Issuer: New Spain (Mexico)
- Ruler: Philip II (1556–1598)
- Mint: Mexico City (M-Oº mintmark)
- Date Range: 1572–1589 issue period
- Denomination: 1 Real
- Catalog: Aureo 26, 224–233
- Metal: Silver (.931 fine)
- Weight: ~3.29 g
- Diameter: ~20 mm (irregular hammered planchet)
- Thickness: ~1 mm
- Orientation: Coin alignment (↑↓)
- Grade: NGC VF35
- Obverse: Detailed crowned coat of arms of Philip II, displaying the heraldic emblems of Castile, León, Aragon, Sicily, Austria, Burgundy (old & modern), Brabant, and Flanders; engraver’s anagram of Bernardo de Oñate at right; legend PHILIPPVS II DEI GRATIA.
- Reverse: Jerusalem cross with lions and castles in angles; colonial legend HISPANIARVM ET INDIARVM REX.
- Shape: Round but irregular, typical of 16th-century hammered production
- Demonetized: Yes
Emperor Philip II:
- Reign: 1556–1598
- Accession: Son of Charles V (Holy Roman Emperor), inheriting Spain and its vast overseas empire
- Key Events: Spanish Armada, consolidation of colonial governance, global silver flows from New Spain and Potosí
- Coinage Significance: Hammered silver Reales formed the backbone of world trade, circulating for centuries
- Legacy: Philip II’s coinage represents the height of early Spanish colonial monetary power
Collectibility:
VF35 is a premium grade for Philip II Mexico 1 Reales, which often come with weak strikes, clipped flans, or heavy wear. This example shows clear shield and strong cross detail, making it highly desirable for collectors of early Mexico City mint issues, shield-series Reales, and Spanish colonial hammered coinage. Increasingly scarce in certified high-grade condition. Find more alike here!
