Jack's Colonial Mexico City 8 Reales Type Set
Ferdinand VII, Armored Bust (1808-1811)

Owner Comments:

Ferdinand VII was the eldest son of Charles IV. He gained the throne briefly in 1808 after a popular uprising against Charles IV, but he was forced to abdicate his throne to Napoleon in May of 1808, triggering rebellion in Mexico. With the king imprisoned, and much of the principal minting infrastructure under the control of French invaders, the creation of the matrix blocks with Fernando's portrait were delayed and were not received by the colonies until 1811. Some American mints continued to mint coins with the portrait of Charles IV and the date 1808, but the Mexico City mint chose to issue their own "imaginary" portrait of Fernando. This transitional variety, also know as the armored bust, was used on Mexico City coins issued from 1808 to 1811.

Slabbed purchase from the February 2015 Heritage Selections from the Law Collection of Mexican Coins Auction, Lot #65024. "Brilliant luster and well struck with a few die cracks through the obverse legend."