Found a similar coin pierced at Mission San Antonio de Padua (1771-1834) and
probably used as an ornament by the local Indian neophytes. Spanish milled
coins, especially the portrait series, were the best made and most attractive
of the times. Also their silver content was usually up to standard. No wonder
they were widely used as ornaments.

I have a question. Were large numbers of Germans utilized as soldiers in the
Mexican-American War?  I know about the German-Americans in the U>S> Army and
the Irish on both sides, but I was unaware that Germany was still exporting
mercenaries in large numbers in the mid-19th century.