Guatemala 1735-G J 1/2 real
This specimen was lot 1053 in Sedwick Treasure Auction 38 (Winter Park, FL, November 2025), where it sold for $156. The catalog description[1] noted, "GUATEMALA, Guatemala City, cob ½ real, 1735/4 J, "+" for denomination, rare. Full date and mintmark below full pillars and crown/globes/waves, full but flat shield with clear denomination to right, deeply toned VG with hole at edge. Pedigreed to the Darby Collection of Guatemala Silver Cobs." This type was struck 1733-46 at Guatemala. After repeated petitions, Guatemala was finally granted a mint in 1733. The equipment available was cast-offs from the Mexico City mint. The coins of 1733-53 are cobs struck using pillar dies; Guatemala was the only mint to do this. The minors (half reales, one reales and two reales) are all very scarce despite their low catalog value.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 1.69 g, 0.917 fine silver, this specimen 1.32 grams.
Catalog reference: Cayón-8249, S-G1; Cal-unl (Type 46); KM-unl (2 for type); JP-MR3a.
- 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.
- Jara, Carlos M., Historia de la Casa de Moneda de Guatemala 1731-1776, Santiago, Chile: Andros Impresores, 2010.
- Menzel, Sewall, Cobs, Pieces of Eight and Treasure Coins, New York: The American Numismatic Society, 2004.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- Robinson, Charles, The Coins of Central America, 1733-1965, San Benito, TX: 1965.
- Stickney, Brian, A Monetary History of Central America, New York: American Numismatic Society, 2017.
- [1]Sedwick, Daniel Frank, Augi Garcia, Cori Sedwick Downing, Connor Falk and Sarah Sproles, Auction 38, World, U.S Coins and Paper Money, featuring the Jorge Ugaz Collection of Lima Silver Cob 2 Reales and the Darby Collection of Guatemala Silver Cobs, Winter Park, FL: Daniel Frank Sedwick LLC, 2025.
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