Bolivia 1629-P T real
This specimen was lot 630 in Sedwick Auction 36 (Winter Park, FL, November 2024), where it sold for $780. The catalog description[1] noted, "BOLIVIA, Potosí, cob 1 real, 1629 T, very rare, ex-Ponte. Clear bottom half of date outside of full cross, weak and doubled shield with bold P-T to left, non-round flan with part of edge folded over (as made), VG with contrasting toning. Pedigreed to the Luis R. Ponte Collection." This type was struck 1625-48 for Philip IV. It was discredited in the debasement scandal of 1650-52 when authorities in Spain finally acknowledged that a cabal at the Potosí mint had been cheating the king for years. Assayer T operated 1626-36 and 1643-48 and was probably deeply implicated in the debasement fraud.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.43 g, 0.931 fine silver, this specimen 2.83 grams and likely debased.
Catalog reference: Cayón-unlisted (assayer P only); S-P26; KM-12a; Cal-717.
- 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.
- [1]Sedwick, Daniel Frank, Augi Garcia, Cori Sedwick Downing, Connor Falk and Sarah Sproles, Treasure Auction 36, World, U.S Coins and Paper Money, featuring the Luis R. Ponte collection, the Jorge Becerra Collection and the John M. O'Brien collection, Winter Park, FL: Daniel Frank Sedwick LLC, 2024.
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