Bolivia 1639-P TR 2 reales
This specimen was lot 576 in Sedwick Treasure Auction 27 (Winter Park, FL, May 2020), where it sold for $357. The catalog description[1] noted, "Potosí, Bolivia, cob 2 reales, (1)639TR, very rare. Bold full 3 of date following by long tail of 9 (easily mistaken for a 7, neither date listed in Calico in any case), bold full mintmark, good full shield and cross on a compact flan, VF with black area on part of edge." The Potosí mint began dating its product in 1617. The years 1649-52 were a period of reform at the Potosí mint; it was found that the previous mintmasters in office 1625-48 had been debasing the cobs, a crime for which one official paid with his life. Assayer T served 1618-48 and was likely deeply involved in the fraud.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 6.77 grams, 0.931 fine silver, this specimen 6.87 grams and most likely debased.
Catalog reference: Cayón-unlisted, S-P27; KM-14a; Cal-unlisted.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- 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.
- Menzel, Sewall, Cobs, Pieces of Eight and Treasure Coins, New York: The American Numismatic Society, 2004.
- [1]Sedwick, Daniel Frank, Augi Garcia and Cori Sedwick Downing, Treasure Auction 27, Winter Park, FL: Daniel Frank Sedwick LLC, 2020.
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