Bolivia 1681-P V 4 reales
The first specimen was lot 636 in Sedwick Treasure Auction 27 (Winter Park, FL, May 2020), where it sold for $333.20. The catalog description[1] noted, "Potosí, Bolivia, cob 4 reales, 1681V. Nice but off-center strike, with one complete pillar and nearly full waves, choice crown and denomination above cross, VF with attractively toned fields." The second specimen was lot 71146 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, November 2022), where it sold for $432. The catalog description[2] noted,
"BOLIVIA. Cob 4 Reales, 1681-P. Potosi Mint; Assayer Pedro de Villar (V). Charles II. PCGS VF-30. A somewhat circulated and underweight cob that nevertheless offers a satisfying amount of detail. The obverse presents the denomination, upper assayer's initial, lower mintmark, and central date with full clarity, and even includes much of the date on the outer legend. The reverse is not as well-preserved, but the mintmark, initial, and much of the date have survived. A good looking piece with an elegant cabinet toning that shows a hint of mauve beneath the deep gray color. From the Pat Johnson Collection."
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 de Villar stamped coins with a "V" 1679-84 and a "VR" 1684-97.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 13.54 grams, 0.931 fine silver, the first specimen 13.33 grams, the second specimen 9.46 g.
Catalog reference: Cayón-7453, S-P39; KM-25; Cal-526.
- 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.
- [2]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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