CHARLES II

During the last years of the House of Austria’s rule in Spain, a palpable tension gripped Europe as anticipation mounted for the imminent passing of King Charles II, who lacked a direct heir. The future of the monarchy during this time rested on the young Joseph Ferdinand Leopold of Bavaria, the presumed heir, who passed away in February 1699, sparking the struggle for the throne between the Bourbons and the Habsburgs of Vienna. The Peruvian viceroyalty, under the leadership of the Duke of Palata, sought permission from Madrid to establish new mints in Peru. Among these, Lima and Cuzco (decrees of 1683 and 1684) emerged as pivotal centres, with Cuzco designated exclusively for the minting of gold coins wit the aim of curbing smuggling. Additionally, the Cabildo ‘city council’ offered a donation of 25,000 if this concession was granted. Construction of the mint lasted for many years, not being completed until late 1699, although minting began in 1698 with technical support from the Lima mint. The assayer for these coins was Félix Cristóbal Cano Melgarejo (M). The obverse of these coins is identical to the silver pieces minted in Lima, while the reverse features the characteristic checkerboard pattern with the Pillars of Hercules. Along their top line appears the mint’s initial (C), the coin’s denomination (2), and the assayer’s mark (M); the central line contains an abbreviation of the motto Plus Ultra (P-V-A), and the bottom line displays the date 6-9-8. We only have records of issues from this new mint for the year 1698 in the denominations of one and two escudos, with operations ceasing shortly thereafter.