Bolivia 1663-P E real
This specimen was lot 70214 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, October 2021), where it sold for $204. The catalog description[1] noted, "BOLIVIA. Cob Real, 1663-P E. Potosi Mint. Philip IV. PCGS VF-35. Quite enticing for this always crudely produced type, the present minor offers deep gunmetal gray surfaces with great clarity in spots." Cob one reales were struck at Potosi for Philip IV 1652-66 and are generally very crude. A few presentation pieces, round and fully struck, mostly eight reales, were made every year; these are today called "royals" altho it is uncertain if they were actually presented to the king in Madrid. The surviving "royals" today are nearly always holed or plugged as they were saved as part of a necklace.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.38 g, 0.931 fine silver; this specimen 3.26 g.
Catalog reference: Cayón-5821, KM-13; Cal-765.
- 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]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The October 2021 Collector's Choice sale: World and Ancient Coins, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2021.
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