4 Reales - Charles IV Ascension of Charles IV to the throne; silver
1789 year| Silver | 13.76 g | 32.9 mm |
| Location | Florida (United States (pre-federal and private/territorial)) |
|---|---|
| Type | Medals › Commemorative medals |
| Year | 1789 |
| Value | 4 Reales |
| Currency | Real |
| Composition | Silver |
| Weight | 13.76 g |
| Diameter | 32.9 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
| Demonetized | Yes |
| Updated | 2024-11-14 |
| Numista | N#301653 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 97% |
Reverse
A Jasmine flower with six petals, a small castle above and lion below
Script: Latin
Lettering: LA FLORa: ORIENTAL PER. ZESPEDs. PROCLAM:tus 1789
Translation: Proclaimed Throughout East Florida by Zespedes
Edge
Reeded
Comment
The Florida 1789 Proclamation 4 Reales was ordered by then governor of East Florida Manuel Vicente de Zespedes in two forms, struck and cast in silver. It is likely that the struck specimens were made at the Mexico City Mint but that only a very few were struck. These would have been for presentation to the king and his council of the Indies and for Zespedes and his close friends. The cast silver pieces could have been made locally or not. They are distinguished from the struck piece in having the word PROCLAM end in TUR whereas the struck silver piece ends that Latin word in TUS. For the reverse type Zespedes chose to show a flower, again a play on words, but also a type that was in keeping with de Peña's 1760 proclamation 4 Reale's reverse and the even earlier 1747 Montiano coinage proposal for Florida. Zespedes himself described the flower as a jasmine.
