Obverse Design

The central feature of the obverse is a crowned monogram. All the letters for PHILLIPVS (the king's name) are represented in the monogram. A border of beads goes around the monogram, and another border of beads appears next to the edge of the coin. In the area between these bead circles is the legend "D. G. ISPANIARVM" and means "BY THE GRACE OF GOD SPAINS" which sounds strange. That is because the legend is continued on the reverse and does not include the King's name as was usually the case; the whole legend reads "D. G. ISPANIARVM ET INDIAVM REX" which translates to "by the grace of God King of the Spains and the Indies." Normally the King's name was included so the translation would be "Phillip, by the grace of God King of the Spains and the Indies." At this time which was shortly after several small kingdoms were combined into one country, Spain was referred to as "the Spains." On the example above, the "D.G." and the letters "I", "V" and "M" of ISPANIARVM are legible; the rest of the letters did not fit on the planchet.

Inside the inner circle of beads, next to the monogram on the left is an "A" over a "P". This is the Panama mint mark. On the right side of the shield inside the inner circle of beads is a small "O" over "X". This is the assayer mark.

Reverse Design The central feature of the reverse is a cross with bars. This style of cross is called the cross of Jerusalem. In the upper left and lower right quandrants appeared the stylized castles representing Castile (one of the original component kingdoms of Spain). In the upper right and lower left quadrants appeared stylized standing Lions representing Leon (another original Spanish kingdom). A border of beads goes around the central cross, and another border of beads appears next to the edge of the coin. In the area between these bead circles was the legend "ET INDIARVM . REX", which is the continuation of the legend from the obverse and means "AND INDIES KING". On the example above, the "VM . REX" is legible, and only the some bottom portions of the other letters fit on the planchet.
Metal Silver from Peru. Weight About 1.72 grams. Size and Shape About round, approximately 19 mm in diameter.
Dates Issued 1580 to 1583. Issurer King Phillip II of Spain. Assayer Assayer o/X, based on the monogram probably had the last name of Ximeno (Jimeno in modern Spanish).
Rarity Very Rare (unique). Other Catalog Numbers Proctor/Stallard Variety HR.2.
Varieties Half reales cobs from Panama are known with assayer marks of o/X and P-M.
Population Count Only one specimen is known to exist.
Notes