Bolivia 1769-PTS JR 2 reales
This is one of a series struck 1767-70 during the reign of Charles III (1759-88). Gilboy[1] lists the date as "normal" (more than 500 pieces known to exist) with numerous varieties recorded. The specimen shown is a "round 9 with six-petalled florets," and is a slightly scarcer variety.
The pillar two reales is somewhat scarce although all dates are available. Harris[2] lists the Charles III pillar two reales in order of abundance: Mexico, Potosi, Lima, Guatemala (scarce). Specimens in high grade are very rare. In 1771, milled coinage was suspended at the Potosi mint in favor of the resumption of cob production. The mintmaster was rebuked for this and forced to return to milling coins in 1773 with the introduction of portrait coinage.
Mexican numismatists hotly debate which side of the coin constitutes the obverse. Gilboy[1] depicts the shield side as the obverse as that side bears the king's name. However, auction catalogs and dealer listings more frequently use the pillars and globes side as the obverse, as that side bears the date. Note that the pillar 2 reales and cob 2 reales were struck in Potosi in the same year. They are priced about the same in the SCWC.
Recorded mintage: unknown (Gilboy[1] estimates about 92,000 pillars).
Specification: 6.77 g, 0.917 fine silver, .199 troy oz ASW.
Catalog reference: Cayón-11514, Gilboy P-2-3d, KM 48 (pillar), KM 43 (cob).
- [1]Gilboy, Frank F., The Milled Columnarios of Central and South America: Spanish American Pillar Coinage, 1732 to 1772, Regina, Saskatchewan: Prairie Wind Publishing, 1999.
- Yonaka, Brad, A Variety Guide to the Pillar Coinage of the Guatemala, Bogota, Lima, Potosi, and Santiago Mints, 1752-1771, Long Beach, CA: Agorocu Consulting, 2018.
- [2]Harris, Robert P., Pillars & Portraits, San José, CA: Bonanza Press, 1968.
- Krause, Chester L., and Colin R. Bruce II, Standard Catalog of World Coins: Spain, Portugal and the New World, Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2002.
- 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.
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