A Reale Query - Spanish Coin Found But I Can't Quite Figure It Out

[Stu]

For my favourite field this was the very last visit of this years season, the ploughing and seeding happening in the last few days I won't return until after whatever grows is harvested. On this last visit a few odd buttons, a couple small copper coins and a very healthy looking silver coin. Healthy being round, the older hammered silver coins when found normally a little bit clipped - and not quite round. I was nowhere near a colonial site, and for a UK find this was completely unexpected.

I was suddenly taken to being on a quest to find some Discovery channel lost treasure. The pillars and crown much seen on the detector prospector forum as the sought after reale - but this one a fraction of some kind, and I suspect a quarter reale? Date looks to be 1802. The mint mark only partial, perhaps an R, but the coin diameter 16mm - very much the same size as a British 3d (3 old pence, or quarter shilling). None of my books has anything much on Spanish coins (not really found much over here) - so any expert help appreciated. Close up pictures, threepence 16mm coin is laying over the top and the edge of the Spanish silver is just visible at the top.

?  

[Raphis]

Looks like a 1/2 Real, Carolus IIII.  Here’s an informative site on these colonial era coins

https://coinquest.com/cgi-bin/cq/coins.pl?coin=2334

Great find!! 👍🏼 

[F350Platinum]

Great coin, Stu! Never get tired of seeing them (or finding them, 4 now). Bet you found it near a large tree that shades mid to late in the day? Nice way to end your season in the field, mine ended today for one of them where I found one.

https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces12842.html

[Stu]

Thanks for that. I think I was so caught up thinking it was a quarter that I hadn't looked hard enough at the half reale sizing. That's now sparked the memory that different arrangement of local currency valuation  - so the 8reale was valued at near enough 5 shillings UK - continued long after in history to be the foundation of difference between the $ (US) and the £sterling.

This one was pretty well in the middle of the field, but those shady areas are always looked at, and the areas where the shade used to be. Any ploughed out hedges, or any holly bushes in live hedges - which are sometimes a sign that a tree used to be nearby long ago.