Description
Spanish Empire, Viceroyalty of New Spain, Philip IV ‘Rey Planeta’ (‘the Planet King’) of the House of Habsburg, King of Spain 1621-1665 AD, Silver ‘Cob’ Four Reales (12.62g, 31mm), 1652 Mo P, Mexico City mint. Obverse: Royal Escutcheon of the Armorial of the Kingdom of Spain surmounted by royal crown, mintmark above assayer’s initial to left, mark of value “4” to right, inner beaded border and legend ending with the date surrounds, “[PHILLIPVS· IV· DEI·G·]”. Reverse: Cross of Jerusalem central with arms terminating in fleur-de-lis, heraldic elements of the Kingdoms of Castile and León in each angle, all within double tressure of arches, inner beaded border and legend surrounds, “[HISPANIARVM· ET· INDIARVM· REX·]”. KM-38. Typically ragged in appearance, notably with very clear key devices such as date and assayer’s initial, scarcer as a fractional compared to the 8 Reales and of the time period for the Gilt Dragon wreck, good Fine to near Very Fine.
The Latin legend spanning over both the obverse and reverse is the royal titulature of King Philip IV, reading unabridged as “Philippus Quartus, Deī Grātiā, Hispāniarum et Indiarum rēx”, with an English translation of “Philip the fourth, by the Grace of God, King of Spain and the Indies”. It’s worth noting the correct Latin spelling of the genitive form of Hispānia and India is Hispāniae and Indiae.
