Owner Comments:
THIS COIN'S PLACE IN HISTORY
Around the year 1542 new die punches were sent to Mexico from Spain for a new design. The basic design remained the same but the mint mark and the assayer's initial were placed on the obverse, one on either side of the shield.
The reverse of the coin was modified to place the two crowned Pillars of Hercules in water, representing their actual location at the Straits of Gibralter. This modification was adopted on later cob varieties and has become known as the "Pillars and Waves" design. Also, the motto PLVS VLTRA was modified. Rather than simply using PLVS in a banner between the columns, the full motto was included, broken into three sections by the two columns with the banner removed.
This design, known as the "Late Series", continued to be minted after the ascendancy of Phillip II in 1556. At the Mexico City mint they even continued to use the Charles and Johanna legend. However, at Lima, when the mint opened in 1568, they used the same design as Mexico City but with PHILIPVS II.
DESCRIPTION:
OBVERSE: Crowned arms, mint mark (M) to the left and assayer (G Juan Gutierrez) to the right.
Obv. Legend: in Latin incircling the rim: (CHROLVS * ET * IOHANA * REGES
REVERSE: Crowned Pillars with the denomination (4) between them. In the early coins the 4 was slanted.
Rev. Legend: (HISPANIARVM ET INDIA)
Legend Translation : Charles and Johana King of Spain and the Indies.