one fourth of a half!

[unclemac]

Spain used the copper maravedi for small value coinage in Spain, but the coins were never really excepted by Mexican native populations in the new world and different mintages were met with skepticism or out right refusal. This created a problem as the smallest silver coin was a half real, (think of it as a 5 cent silver half dime). Obviously there was a need for coin of lesser value, (consider the U.S. even had half cents), so one manner was to take a 1/2 real, cut it into 4 pieces and create what would be worth 1/8 real, (similar to a penny in value). By the Mexican war of Independence, (1810), local municipalities began to mint their own tokens, and thus the "octavo" was born. The piece here is cut fraction of ½ Real (1724–1728)...Philip V, Mexico City mint.

 

[Tesorodeoro]

Spain used the copper maravedi for small value coinage in Spain, but the coins were never really excepted by Mexican native populations in the new world and different mintages were met with skepticism or out right refusal. This created a problem as the smallest silver coin was a half real, (think of it as a 5 cent silver half dime). Obviously there was a need for coin of lesser value, (consider the U.S. even had half cents), so one manner was to take a 1/2 real, cut it into 4 pieces and create what would be worth 1/8 real, (similar to a penny in value). By the Mexican war of Independence, (1810), local municipalities began to mint their own tokens, and thus the "octavo" was born. The piece here is cut fraction of ½ Real (1724–1728)...Philip V, Mexico City mint.
View attachment 2250432

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Trezurehunter]

Now that is one tiny piece of a coin !

 

[Almy]

That's neat, thank you for the picture and info. That sure would be easy to lose!