My World Crown Affair
16th Cent, Spain 8 reales

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Philip II (1556--1598), early milled 8 reales, minted in Segovia, Spain. The obverse shows the crowned coat of arms of Spain at the time, with Portugal included, as the Spanish monarch held the Portuguese crown from 1581-1640. To the left of the arms is a two story aqueduct, the mint mark of Segovia. To the right is the denomination in Roman numerals, VIII. On the reverse is the quartered arms of Castille and León, with date above.

The city of Segovia is known for its impressive Roman aqueduct, which features in its coat of arms and its mintmark. Segovia's second mint, known as the "Royal Mint", was different from all other Spanish mints because it was owned by the Royal family and it was the only fully mechanized mint from its founding in 1585 to the introduction of the screw press in the 1700s. The Royal Mint operated roller presses powered by a waterwheel. The presses were a gift to Philip II from his cousin, Ferdinand, the Archduke of Tyrol, and were constructed for him in Hall.