Glenn's Transitional Pillars, Charles III to Charles IV, Mexico
1790MO FM "CAROLUS IIII"

Owner Comments:

THIS COIN'S PLACE IN HISTORY
A two year transitional design with the incorrect armored bust of Charles III and the correct legend of Charles IIII. When Charles III died in 1788 it took many months for a portrait of the new king, Charles IV, to reach New Spain. Until it arrived the old portrait of Charles the III continued to be used and the Mexico City mint used the designation IIII instead of IV as done at the Lima mint.

DESCRIPTION:
OBVERSE: The obverse design has a bust of the king and the legend giving the king's name and title as, CAROLUS IIII DEI GRATIA (Charles IIII by the Grace of God) with the date 1790.

REVERSE: The reverse design has the two Pillars of Hercules with the motto PLUS VLTRA (More Beyond) on banners, flanking the crowned shield of Leon and Castile. The legend reads, HISPAN. ET IND. REX (King of Spain and the Indies) followed by the mintmark (Mo), the denomination (8) and the assayer's initials (FM-Francisco Arance Cobos & Mariano Rodriguez). The edge design is comprised of alternating circles and rectangles.

NOTE: Coins were minted in 1790 with both Charles IV and Charles IIII legends.