Bolivia 1717-P Y 4 reales
This specimen was lot 630 in Sedwick Treasure Auction 28 (Winter Park, FL, November 2020), where it sold for $6,600. The catalog description[1] noted, "Potosí, Bolivia, cob 4 reales Royal (galano), 1717Y, extremely rare, NGC AU details / holed. Broad flan with bold full details and attractive old toning, holed to right of cross / right of pillars (aligned axis), probably unique as no other examples have been seen, this date unlisted until the 2019 Calico reference (no doubt linked to the discovery of this specimen)." The Spanish colony of Upper Peru produced hammered cob coinage at the Potosí mint from 1573 to 1773, with a major debasement scandal and subsequent reform occurring in 1649-1652. The royal or presentation issues are very rare and highly sought after, while the regular strikes vary in price according to the visibility of the date, mint, and assayer initials. Assayer "Y" is listed for 1701-27.
Recorded mintage: unknown but a better date.
Specification: 13.54 g, 0.931 fine silver, this specimen 12.76 grams.
Catalog reference: S-P43a; KM-R30 (unlisted date); Cal-1138, Cayón-8992.
- 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 Juan Carlos I, 1474 a 2001, Barcelona: Aureo & Calicó, 2008.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- 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 28, featuring the Dr. Peter Jones and John O'Brien collections, Winter Park, FL: Daniel Frank Sedwick LLC, 2020.
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