Bolivia 1657-P E 4 reales
This specimen was lot 71118 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, November 2022), where it sold for $528. The catalog description[1] noted, "BOLIVIA. Cob 4 Reales, 1657-P. Potosi Mint, Assayer Antonia de Ergueta (E). Philip IV. PCGS VF-35. A well-preserved Cob with exceptional eye appeal. Though much peripheral detail is missing due to weak strike or the narrow planchet, this piece retains at least one of each important detail, including the mintmark, assayer's initial, denomination, and date. Its surfaces are nicely toned to a deep gunmetal gray mottled with darker hues. Quite a beautiful piece despite its modest detail. From the Pat Johnson Collection. Ex. Kagin's 1983 ANA sale, August 1983, lot 1188." Assayer Rodas was brought in from Spain to restore the purity of the cobs struck at Potosi which had been debased as low as 0.700 fine. He did improve the quality but his product still did not meet the legal standard. He was sacked and replaced by Antonio de Ergueta, who introduced the new "pillars and waves" design which would show the date and assayer's initials on even the worst strike.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 13.54 g, 0.931 fine silver, this specimen 14.60 g.
Catalog reference: Cayón-6160, KM 18; Cal-1124.
- 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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