Bolivia 1747-P 1/2 real KM-36
This specimen was lot 645 in Sedwick Treasure Auction 28 (Winter Park, FL, November 2020), where it sold for $3,120. The catalog description[1] noted, "Potosí, Bolivia, cob 1/2 real Royal (galano), 1747, Ferdinand VI, extremely rare (unlisted), NGC XF details / plugged. . Like almost all known Ferdinand VI 1/2R Royals, which have such a large and explicit monogram for that includes FR to left, Dv in middle and I to right in addition to an S above (all fully visible on this specimen), there is no room for a clear date at bottom, here manifest as (from left to right) bold 7, weak 4 and uncertain 7, unlisted and probably unique, the cross also full but slightly off-center, richly toned all over, with plugged hole above left arm of cross / on last digit of date. Even as just a type-coin this piece is rare and desirable." The regular half real cob of this type is noted for 1747-60. Half reales were also struck for the deceased Philip V in 1747. The SCWC does not price it as rare but this is the first of the type we have found to post on the Wiki. Cayón states that this should have assayer's initial "q" but we doubt there was room for it.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 1.69 g, 0.917 fine silver, this specimen 1.62 grams.
Catalog reference: S-P50a; KM-R36 (unlisted date); Cal-unl., Cayón-10153.
- 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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