Bolivia 1618-PAL 8 reales
This specimen was lot 99 in Sedwick sale 34 (Winter Park, FL, November 2023), where it sold for $3,600. The catalog description[1] noted, "Potosí, Bolivia, cob 8 reales, 1618 PAL, rare, Grade 1. Bold full 8 of date outside of full cross and clear PAL assayer to left of full shield (both date and assayer mentioned on certificate, although PAL was thought to be RL at the time), much legend, silvery with practically no corrosion but small edge-split. With original Fisher tag and certificate 85A-237619. Recovered from: Atocha, sunk in 1622 west of Key West, Florida." This type was struck 1605-21 for Philip III. In 1617, dates were added, Potosi being the second mint in the Western hemisphere to do so, after Mexico City in 1607. Assayer "PAL", who combined his initials with the mintmark, is listed for 1618 only.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 27.07 g, 0.931 fine silver, this specimen 26.63 grams.
Catalog reference: Cayón-4921, S-P20; KM-10; Cal-922.
- Cayón, Adolfo, Clemente Cayón and Juan Cayón, Las Monedas Españolas, del Tremis al Euro: del 411 a Nuestros Dias, 2 volumes, Madrid: Cayón-Jano S.L., 2005.
- Calicó, Xavier, Numismática Española: Catálogo General con Precios de Todas las Monedas Españolas Acuñadas desde Los Reyes Católicos Hasta Felipe VI, 1474 a 2020, Barcelona: Aureo & Calicó, 2019.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- Menzel, Sewall, Cobs, Pieces of Eight and Treasure Coins, New York: The American Numismatic Society, 2004.
- Paoletti, Emilio, 8 Reales Cobs of Potosí, 2nd Ed., Buenos Aires, 2006.
- [1]Sedwick, Daniel Frank, Augi Garcia, Cori Sedwick Downing and Connor Falk, Treasure Auction 34, World, U.S Coins and Paper Money, Winter Park, FL: Daniel Frank Sedwick LLC, 2023.
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