Bolivia 1699-P F 2 reales
This specimen was lot 1933 in Sedwick Treasure Auction 39 (Winter Park, FL, May 2026), where it sold for $510. The catalog description[1] noted, "BOLIVIA, Potosí, cob 2 reales, 1699 F. Choice full cross-lions-castles and pillars-and-waves (exceptional for this assayer), two dates, three mintmarks and assayers, VF with darkly toned fields." The other Latin American mints placed the date near the edge where it rarely struck up, whereas Potosi issues have the date smack in the middle, ensuring that the date would be legible even if the rest of the design was smeared. As a result, Bolivian cobs can be collected by date, unlike the other mints (Mexico, Lima, Guatemala). This type was struck 1667-1701 for Charles II, who died early in 1700. Assayer "F" served 1697-1701 and left his mark on one, two, four and eight reales (the Potosí mint did not mint gold until the reign of Charles III).
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 6.77 g, 0.931 fine silver, this specimen 6.27 grams.
Catalog reference: Cayón-7418, S-P42; KM-24; Cal-434.
- 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]Sedwick, Daniel Frank, Augi Garcia, Cori Sedwick Downing, Connor Falk and Sarah Sproles, Auction 39, 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, 2026.
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