Bolivia 1650-P O 4 reales
This specimen was lot 71094 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, November 2022), where it sold for $780. The catalog description[1] noted, "BOLIVIA. Cob 4 Reales, 1650-P. Potosi Mint; Assayer Juan Rodriguez de Rodas (O). Philip IV. PCGS EF-40. Struck on a slightly ragged but broad planchet, this well-preserved Cob offers plenty of detail. The obverse shows a mintmark and assayer's mark to the left of a nearly complete Habsburg shield, and the reverse displays quite pleasing castles and lions along with portions of all four digits of the date. The coin is struck on high quality, uncorroded metal that has taken on an attractive pewter-gray tone. This assayer and date is quite RARE, especially presented with no countermark. From the Pat Johnson Collection." The mountains around Potosi contained enormous amounts of high grade silver ore, a situation the Spanish were not slow to exploit. A mint was set up in the 1570's to process the silver mined there. The early products of the reign of Philip II are fairly good quality but rot set in during the following reign, including fraudulent debasement. This type was struck during the early part of the great remintage of 1649-52 when the debased cobs were called in. Assayer Rodas improved the purity of the silver used but his product was still below the 0.931 fineness decreed by the king. His term was only 1649-51.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 13.54 g, 0.931 fine silver, this specimen 14.28 g, most likely slightly debased.
Catalog reference: Cayón-unlisted, KM-17b; Cal-1106.
- 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]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The November 2022 Collectors Choice Ancient & World Coins Auction, Featuring the Pat Johnson Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2022.
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