Columnario
1771 ・ silver ・ 18th century ・ Mexico City Mint
The new machine-struck eight-reales were of the pillar type—called the Columnario. In the English-speaking world, it is the Pillar Dollar. Its face depicts two hemispheres and two pillars, accompanied by the mottos VTRAQUE VNUM and PLUS ULTRA. From the same dies, countless silver coins with identical images could be continuously produced. This was a uniformity unattainable with the hand-hammered cobs, each of which had a different shape. Even after crossing distant seas and passing through many hands, it was instantly recognizable. The face of the silver coin that would travel the two seas was finally established with this design.