File:Brazil H3037-31015o.jpg

This specimen was lot 31015 in Heritage sale 3037 (New York, January 2015), where it did not sell. The catalog description^[1] noted,

"The Only Example Publicly Offered in Over 35 Years. Joao V gold 3200 Reis 1727-B VF25 NGC, Bahia mint, KM 129, Russo-092, Gomes-123.03 ('Very rare'), Prober-O-224 ('3 known'). Type 2 shield. A wholesome problem-free coin, quite attractive for the grade, with significant details of the design still apparent and no relevant flaws. The series of Meia Peças struck at the Bahia mint under Joao V rank among the most elusive types in the entire Brazilian Colonial series. The subtype with the Type 2 shield is even more challenging with only two known dates: 1727-B and 1729-B. Both are excessively rare, with only three confirmed examples each. As noted previously, Kurt Prober indicated that three examples of the present coin were known to him (see page 49 in his "Catalogo das Moedas Brasileiras", 3rd edition, 1981). The cataloger has been unable to prove him wrong since it was missing from most major public offerings since his publication, including the Sotheby's Geneva 11/1987, Sotheby's London 5/1996, Hess-Divo 1/1997 (Thomas Faistauer collection), ANR 4/2005 (Eliasberg) auctions and, more significantly, the RLM collection recently offered by Heritage. The only exception was the legendary Norweb collection (Spink America 3/1997, lot 707, described as "3 known") where this same specimen was sold: the small planchet streak to the left of the bust and the two minuscule surface marks to the left of the 'G' in 'ALG' and of the 'E' in 'REX' on the obverse confirm the lofty provenance of this example, now offered for public consideration after nearly 20 years. Specialized collectors will likely recognize the present offering as a fleeting opportunity to secure an unflawed specimen of this legendary rarity (note that one of the other two confirmed specimens is now impounded in the ex-Carlos Marques da Costa collection). From The Santa Catarina Collection of Brazilian Gold Coins."