Guatemala 1748-G J 2 reales
The first specimen was lot 660 in Sedwick Treasure Auction 28 (Winter Park, FL, November 2020), where it sold for $570. The catalog description[1] noted, "Guatemala, cob 2 reales, 1748J. Choice specimen with no hole (rare thus) and attractive toning, with nearly full date below pillars-crowned globes-waves, the other side off-center but with full shield and crown and assayer J just inside visible king's ordinal VI, VF for the type." This type was struck 1747-53 on dies intended for pillar coinage but, as the mint lacked machinery to cut round planchets, the coins were struck on cob planchets instead. Some effort was made to center them properly, and most have legible dates and mintmarks. The second specimen was lot 74492 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, October 2025), where it sold for $360. The catalog description[2] noted, "GUATEMALA. Cob 2 Reales, 1748-G J. Guatemala Mint. Ferdinand VI. PCGS FINE-12. From the Richard August Collection."
Reported Mintage: unknown.
Specification: 6.77 g, 0.917 fine silver, .199 troy oz AGW, the first specimen 6.43 grams, the second specimen is 6.50 g.
Catalog reference: Cayón-10371, S-G1a; Cal-245; KM-10.
- 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 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.
- [2]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, October 2025 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, featuring the Kirk Menczer Collection of Republican Decimal Minors and the Richard August Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2025.
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