1747 Mexico Silver 1/2 Real Philip V-Ferdinand VI Transition ☆☆ Mexico Mint 315

Denomination: 1/2 Real

Design: Milled Pillar-Type

Historical Period: Colonial (up to 1821)

Composition: Silver

Year: 1747

Fineness: 0.917

Country of Origin: United States

This 1747 1/2 Real is a captivating piece of Spanish Colonial history struck at the legendary Mexico City Mint (La Casa de Moneda de México). Issued during the transition of power following the death of King Philip V (who died in 1746), this coin bears his name on the obverse legend (PHILIP • V), while representing the early coinage produced under the newly inaugurated reign of his successor, Ferdinand VI.

These tiny, hand-milled fractional silver pieces—known affectionately as the "half-bit"—were the workhorses of the colonial Americas. The obverse displays the iconic crowned Spanish coat of arms flanked by the assayer mark "M" and denomination. The reverse displays the famous "columnar" design: two crowned hemispheres flanked by the Pillars of Hercules, representing the Old and New Worlds spanning the Atlantic Ocean. For collectors of pirate-era Spanish silver, shipwreck coins, or early New World currency, this specimen is an evocative piece of history.