1542 Four Reale Mexico
First Coin made by colonial Mexico at the Mexico Mint during the reign of Charles V and Johanna 1521-56 of Spain
Charles V, King of Spain but also the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire a title he inherited from Maximillian his grandfather in 1819.
His rule of Spain was from 1516 after the death of Ferdinand his father and at the young age of 16 he ruled together with his mother Johanna who was certified as "mad". Because of the inheritance from his grandfather (Roman Empire), his rule included large areas of Germany and the Netherlands.His birthplace was actually Ghent (modern Belgium) in 1500.
The rich Silver deposits from Mexico and Peru as exploited by the conquistadores Cortes and Pizarro enriched Spain greatly during his rule.
It was during his rule that Magellan cirumnavigated the world in 1522 and the idea of the Panama canal across central America is attributed to him.
He inherited an excedingly large jaw (Hapsburg Jaw - depicted in the medallion) making eating difficult because of the practice of royals marrying relatives eliciting recessive genetic traits and suffered greatly from Gout. He died in 1556 and was succeded by Phillip his son (Phillip II).
His motto was "PLUS ULTRA" Latin for 'Further beyond' and is present on the the Reverse of the coin between the pillars of Hercules (Straits of Gibraltar). These pillars are the origins of the downstrokes of the modern US Dollar with the S a simplification of the two worlds (dos mundos) that appeared in later Spanish silver coins.
The Obverse shows the Spanish Coat of Arms with M denoting Mexico Mint and L referrring to the Assayer
Inscription ; Obverse CARLOS ET IOHANNA REGES
Reverse HISPANIARUM ET INDIARUM
The coin was found by a South African group on the wreck of the Santiago 1585 that was outward bound to pay for spices in the East when she ran aground on the reef of Bassas da India half way between Madagascar and Mozambique. There were coins found that originated from the three rulers of Spain at the time (Isabella and Ferdinand, Charles and Johanna and Phillip II) and the divers found the coins in 1984, one year short of four hundred years later.Amazingly some survivors from the shipwreck at the time, found their way back to Spain and their accounts became the stuff of legends.The return of the divers to South Africa was an epic on its own , made so by a devastating storm that dismasted their yacht leaving them lost at sea and thanks to following a tanker they were led back to South Africa (Richards Bay).
Coin itself is cleaned and shows some corrosion from the sea.Most of the details are visible.
A signed COA is available from the Shipwreck detailing a Phillip II 8 Reale.
Thanks for looking
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