PHILIP V - 1700-1746

Obverse: Crowned arms of the House of Hapsburg surrounded by legend.
Reverse: Cross of Jerusalem surrounded by legend.

Philip was born on April 8, 1605 in Valladolid, Spain and died September 17, 1665 in Madrid. He succeeded his father Philip III as king. He was married at the age of seven to Isabel, Sister of Louis XIII of France, who in time bore him seven children, only one of whom survived the parents. When Isabel died in 1644, Philip married his cousin, Mariana, daughter of the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand III, by whon he had five children.

Philip's reign was characterized by political and military decay as well as disaster stemming from a hopeless struggle with the Netherlands and the separatist rebellions of Catalonia and Portugal (Portugal becoming independent in 1640 under John IV of the house of Braganca). By the end of his reign, weakened by military reverses, economic and social distress, Spain had become a second class power.

Philip was a poet and a patron of the arts. He was the friend of the painter Velasquez, many of whose works portray Philip and members of his court.

New World cobs (hand struck coins)were minted in denominations of 1/4,1/2, 1, 2, 4, and 8 reales during the reign of Philip IV. Cobs of this period tend to be more irregular in shape, "especially those of Mexico", than those of Philip II and III. Gold cobs of New Spain were minted in the two escudo denomination only, and those primarily at the mint in Santa Fe, Colombia. Old world gold cobs were minted in 8,4, 2, and 1 escudo denominations.