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WORLD COINS, MARTINIQUE, Authority of September 1797, Escalin, a cut third segment of a SPAIN, Charles III, 2 Réales (Pistareen), 177[2-9] pj, Madrid, the cut edges crenated, 1.29g (cf. Prid. 3; cf. Roehrs II, 521; KM. 25). Coin harshly cleaned, otherwise fine; a contemporary issue but possibly counterfeit £50-100

The Martinique Ordinance does not make a distinction between the Spanish-American 2 réales and the Spanish pistareen. The public were to take their coins to appointed administration offices in either Fort Royal or St Pierre where they would be cut into the appropriate segments. The pistareens were either accepted as a ‘quarter-dollar’, were slipped in un-noticed or are contemporary forgeries