1761 Mo-R Mexico 1 Real

Charles III (1759–1788)

Mexico City Mint, New Spain

Country: Spanish Colonial Mexico (New Spain)
Ruler: Charles III of Spain
Denomination: 1 Real
Date: 1761
Mint: Mexico City (Mo)
Assayer: R
Composition: Silver (.917 Fine)
Weight: 3.18 g
Diameter: 20.1 mm
Edge: Plain
Reference: KM 78.2

Obverse

Crowned Bourbon shield displaying the arms of Castile, León, Granada, and Bourbon-Anjou. Surrounding legend:

CAROLUS • III • D • G • HISPAN • ET IND • REX

Translated:

"Charles III, by the Grace of God, King of Spain and the Indies."

The obverse reflects the Bourbon monarchy's authority over Spain's extensive colonial holdings during the height of eighteenth-century global commerce.

Reverse

The iconic Pillars of Hercules design featuring crowned hemispheres representing the Old and New Worlds. The design is accompanied by the famous motto:

VTRAQUE VNUM

Translated:

"Both Are One."

The reverse symbolizes the unity of Spain's European and American possessions. The Mexico City mintmark Mo, assayer R, and date 1761 complete the design.

Historical Background

Charles III is widely regarded as one of Spain's most effective Bourbon monarchs. During his reign, New Spain experienced significant economic growth, and the Mexico City Mint remained the largest producer of silver coinage in the world.

The pillar coinage series represented the backbone of international commerce throughout the eighteenth century. These coins circulated across Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia and were accepted virtually everywhere due to their consistent silver content and reliable weight standards.

The 1 Real denomination served as an everyday transactional coin while maintaining the same high silver purity standards as the larger 8 Reales and other pillar denominations.

Grade Assessment

Fine Details (F12)

This example exhibits moderate circulation wear while retaining substantial design detail. The crown remains bold, shield quarterings are clearly visible, and the legends are largely complete. Reverse devices show strong definition for the grade, with both pillars and hemispheres readily identifiable.

The surfaces display evidence of an old cleaning with subsequent retoning. Despite this impairment, the coin presents attractively with above-average detail for a circulated pillar 1 Real.

Assigned Grade: Fine Details – Cleaned

Collector Notes

The 1761 Mo-R issue was struck during the final decade of Mexico City pillar coinage before the transition to the portrait "Bust" coinage under Charles III. Many collectors seek late-date pillar issues because they represent the closing years of one of the most iconic and influential coin designs ever produced.

Catalog Description

1761 Mo-R Mexico 1 Real, Charles III, Fine Details (Cleaned). Silver pillar coin struck at the Mexico City Mint during the reign of Charles III. Features the crowned Bourbon shield and the celebrated Pillars and Globes reverse with VTRAQUE VNUM legend. A well-preserved late-period pillar real with strong design detail, visible date, mintmark, and assayer attribution.