Bolivia 1691-P VR 2 reales
The first specimen was lot 73472 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, October 2025), where it sold for $216. The catalog description[1] noted, "BOLIVIA. Cob 2 Reales, 1691-P VR. Potosi Mint. Charles II. PCGS EF-45. From the Richard August Collection." This type was struck 1667-1701 for Charles II. It superseded the shield/cross type which was discredited in the debasement scandal of the 1630's and 1640's. Assayer de Villar stamped coins with a "V" 1679-84 and a "VR" 1684-97. The second specimen was lot 819 in Sedwick Treasure Auction 38 (Winter Park, FL, November 2025), where it sold for $7,200. The catalog description[2] noted, "BOLIVIA, Potosí, cob 1 real Heart, 1691 VR, unique, ex-Ugaz. Broad, thin flan with long "tail" containing a hole that probably replaced one in a broken-off "stem" at top, all the details bold and evenly struck (slightly doubled), with two dates and all three mintmarks and assayers visible, XF with toned fields. This little piece is significant as the earliest date on record for a Heart in any denomination, unlisted and unique as the first example we have ever seen or heard of for this date. Pedigreed to the Jorge Ugaz Collection."
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 6.77 g, 0.931 fine silver, the first specimen 5.18 g, the second specimen is 2.55 grams.
Catalog reference: S-P40; Cayón-7391, KM-24; Cal-424.
- 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, October 2025 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, featuring the Kirk Menczer Collection of Republican Decimal Minors and the Richard August Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2025.
- [2]Sedwick, Daniel Frank, Augi Garcia, Cori Sedwick Downing, Connor Falk and Sarah Sproles, Auction 38, World, U.S Coins and Paper Money, featuring the Jorge Ugaz Collection of Lima Silver Cob 2 Reales and the Darby Collection of Guatemala Silver Cobs, Winter Park, FL: Daniel Frank Sedwick LLC, 2025.
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