Philip V (1700-1724), Royal Coinage, heart-shaped half-real, Mexico City, 1716 J, struck in medallic die alignment, 2.05g (Cal. type 283, date unlisted), very neatly pierced at the upper, shaped tang, extremely fine, attractive but enigmatic [see footnote], very rare. Although forma corazón coins were well-established at Potosí by 1716 there is scant evidence, despite Calicó’s listing, of their manufacture in Mexico. It is uncertain whether the present example was deliberately produced as a corazón at the Mint or whether it was created later from a very carefully-crafted round ‘Royal’ which must have been struck on an oversized flan.

Estimate: GBP 1000 - 2000