Enrique IV Real

Enrique IV's reales were often struck on silver that had been recycled from older coins, a practical measure during the economic strains of his reign. This recycling wasn't just thrift; it sometimes led to irregular weights, frustrating merchants and collectors alike.

The coin itself bore the Castilian arms on one side and the king's name on the other, a design that echoed the era's shifting politics. Minted in places like Toledo, these pieces varied by year, with some showing crude strikes from worn dies. We don't know exact mintage figures; records from that period are scarce, likely destroyed in later conflicts.

What surprises me, after handling hundreds, is how these coins outlasted the chaos they were born from. Every scratch tells a story of survival.

Oh, and if you think modern inflation is bad, try exchanging these for goods back then—pure silver or not, they'd still leave you shortchanged.