Bolivia 1738-P M 4 reales
This specimen was lot 220 in Áureo y Calicó sale 347 (Barcelona, March 2020), where it sold for €1,800 (about US$2,376 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"1738. Felipe V. Potosí. M. 4 reales. Redonda. Tipo "Real". Doble fecha y triple ensayador. Perforación reparada. Bellísima. Preciosa pátina. Muy rara y más así. Sólo hemos tenido este ejemplar. EBC+. (kingdom of Spain, Philip V, four reales of 1738, Potosí mint, round "royal" type. Two dates and three assayers. Plugged, still handsome, very rare thus, we know of only this example. Choice extremely fine.)"
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 period 1767-1770 saw the simultaneous issue of milled columnarios. 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.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 13.54 g, 0.931 fine silver, this specimen 12,56 g.
Catalog reference: KM R30a, AC. 1141, Cayón-9114.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- 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.
- Menzel, Sewall, Cobs, Pieces of Eight and Treasure Coins, New York: The American Numismatic Society, 2004.
- [1]Sisó, Teresa, Eduard Domingo and Lluís Lalana, Subasta Publica 347: Seleccion de 500 Monedas, Medallas y Billetes, Barcelona: Áureo y Calicó, 2020.
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