Texas Jolas

About This Coin

Copper half-real pieces dated 1817 and 1818, struck for use in the Spanish province of Texas during the late colonial period. Known as "jolas" (a colloquial term for small change), these coins were produced to address chronic currency shortages along the remote northern frontier of New Spain. The 1818 issue comes in both large and small planchet varieties. These are among the only coins specifically produced for what would later become the state of Texas, giving them considerable historical significance beyond their numismatic rarity.