897

Mexico City, Mexico, 3 reales, Charles-Joanna, "Early Series," assayer Gothic R at bottom between pi

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / Cobs - Mexico Silver Start Price:4,000.00 USD Estimated At:4,000.00 - 6,000.00 USD
Mexico City, Mexico, 3 reales, Charles-Joanna,  Early Series,  assayer Gothic R at bottom between pi
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This item SOLD at 2012 Oct 26 @ 10:34UTC-4 : AST/EDT
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Mexico City, Mexico, 3 reales, Charles-Joanna, "Early Series," assayer Gothic R at bottom between pillars, 3-dots denomination, very rare. N-5(for type)/5b; S-M1; CT-103. 10.1 grams. Shield side with Gothic .M.-.M., lions with crowns, per N-5 but with legend as KAROLVS : ET : IOHANA : DG with crude I and O's; pillars side with Gothic R, rounded panel with PLVSVLT inside, 3 dots for denomination, legends per N-5b with crude D, I and M. Somewhat low-relief Fine with full inner details and nearly full legends, lightly toned fields, a few marks and crude old hole near edge above pillars, but overall a very solid (non-salvage) specimen of this ephemeral denomination, which is traditionally very rare and highly sought. Struck only from April of 1536 to early 1538 at the latest (and only under assayer R), the 3 reales was deemed too close in size and value to the 2 reales, but ironically most specimens are broader in denomination than the 4 reales that replaced them. This specimen is only the second one we have ever handled. Incidentally, it has been suggested that the reason the 3-dots denomination (as well as a rarer variety with 3 bars) was chosen over an Arabic number 3 is that the natives could not read numbers; but then it seems this illiteracy problem must have been solved before the 4R came along with Arabic-4 denomination!