Bolivia 1664-P E 8 reales
The first specimen was lot 53769 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Pittsburgh, PA, August 2023), where it sold for $1,140. The catalog description[1] noted, "BOLIVIA. Cob 8 Reales, 1664-P E. Potosi Mint. Philip IV. NGC AU-58." The second specimen was lot 25618 in Heritage sale 61487 (Dallas, TX, May 2025), where it sold for $1,440. The catalog description[2] noted, "Spanish Netherlands. Fully Impressed Golden Fleece Stamp. Brabant. Philip IV of Spain 48 Patards ND (1652-1672) VF30 NGC, Host: Bolivia Philip IV Cob 8 Reales 1664 P-E; Counterstamp: Golden Fleece within shield (AU). A commendable selection bearing the elusive "Golden Fleece" countermark. Fully embossed and applied to Spanish Cobs whose weight and fineness had been verified by the Dutch government, trying to remove the low silver examples after the Potosi Scandal and other problem coins that were in circulation. Accompanied by a Hans Schulman 75th anniversary auction envelope. Ex. Hans Schuman 75th Anniversary Auction (March 1955, Lot 681) From the Monedero Collection of Peru and Latin American Coins." Royals are known of this type from the Potosí mint but all are rare. The regular cob issues are not nearly as nice. 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 E is noted for 1652-79.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 27.07 g, 0.931 fine silver, the first specimen 27.33 g, the second specimen 26.73 g.
Catalog reference: KM-21; Cal-1528, Cayón-6571. The second specimen is Delm-324.
- 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.
- Paoletti, Emilio, 8 Reales Cobs of Potosí, 2nd Ed., Buenos Aires, 2006.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, August 2023 Global Showcase Auction, World & Ancient Coins, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2023.
- [2]Cristiano Bierrenbach, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, 2025 May 13 - 14 The Monedero Collection of Peru and Latin American Coins Showcase Auction #61487, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2025.
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