Cob coins
Coins of this irregular, hand-struck form are widely known as Spanish cob coins, or “macuquinas”. A piece of silver was cut to approximately the required weight and struck manually between engraved dies. Because the shape and perfect centring of the blank were of secondary importance, cob coins frequently display irregular edges, incomplete legends and off-centre designs. Each surviving Spanish cob coin consequently has its own individual appearance.
The silver real was one of the principal denominations of Habsburg Spain. Eight reales were equivalent to the famous Spanish silver peso, later widely known as the “piece of eight”. The smaller 1-real denomination was used for everyday transactions and circulated throughout Spain and its rapidly expanding commercial empire.
The castles and lions represent the medieval kingdoms of Castile and León, while the crowned shield symbolises the extensive territories united under the Spanish Habsburg monarchy.
PHILIP II or FELIPE II (1527-1598), King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily and the Spanish Netherlands.
He succeeded his father Emperor Charles V (Rey Carlos I de España) who abdicated in 1556.
The reign of Philip is noted for its territorial expansion, religious zeal, and struggles against Protestant Reformation and the Ottoman Empire. Philip was a strong Catholic who tried to stop the spread of Protestantism in Europe, especially in the Netherlands, where it led to the Eighty Years' War.
In 1554 he married the English Queen Mary who died in 1558. In 1588 he launched the failed Spanish Armada against England.
Under Philip II, Spain reached the peak of its power. Despite his strong leadership and the great quantities of gold and silver from the Americas, he never succeeded in suppressing Protestantism or defeating the Dutch rebellion. During his reign Spain's wealth decreased due to constant wars and mismanagement, weakening the country in the long run.
