Bolivia 1771-P VY 4 reales
This specimen was lot 766 in Sedwick Auction 36 (Winter Park, FL, November 2024), where it sold for $390. The catalog description[1] noted, "BOLIVIA, Potosí, cob 4 reales, 1771 V-Y, Y at lower right on pillars side, unique, ex-Mastalir. Very chunky and crude but with bold full pillars showing clear date, full assayers V at top right and Y at bottom right (first and only example we have seen), most of cross, deeply toned XF (for the period) with surface roughness on opposing sides (as made). Pedigreed to the Roberto Mastalir Collection, with his tag." The type was struck for Charles III 1760-73. Pillar coinage was introduced in Upper Peru in 1767 but was abandoned after 1770. By this date, Mexico, Guatemala, Santiago and Lima were striking pillar four reales.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 13.54 g, 0.917 fine silver, this specimen 13.38 grams.
Catalog reference: Cayón-11747; S-P59; KM-44 (listed as "V/Y"); Cal-unl (Type 71).
- 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.
- Menzel, Sewall, Cobs, Pieces of Eight and Treasure Coins, New York: The American Numismatic Society, 2004.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Sedwick, Daniel Frank, Augi Garcia, Cori Sedwick Downing, Connor Falk and Sarah Sproles, Treasure Auction 36, World, U.S Coins and Paper Money, featuring the Luis R. Ponte collection, the Jorge Becerra Collection and the John M. O'Brien collection, Winter Park, FL: Daniel Frank Sedwick LLC, 2024.
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