Guatemala 1753-G J 8 reales
This eight reales cob-type coin (struck on planchets intended for milled coins) was lot 677 in Cayon Subastas (Madrid, Feb 4, 2012), where it sold for about US$505. The catalog description[1] noted, "Guatemala. 8 reales. 1753. J. BC+. Escasa. (Guatemala 8 reales 1753-J. Fine. Scarce.)." This type was issued from Guatemala 1747-53 and is not at all common. The pieces are often called cobs but aren't really as they were not struck by the hammer but in a screw press. The mint did not have the equipment to cut round blanks and edge them as Mexico was doing, so this was the best they could do.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 27.07 g, 0.917 fine silver, 0.798 troy oz ASW, this specimen 27 g.
Catalog reference: KM 12, Cayón-10576.
- Cayón, Adolfo, Clemente Cayón and Juan Cayón, Las Monedas Españolas, del Tremis al Euro: del 411 a Nuestros Dias, vol. 1, 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]Cayon Subastas, Auction February 2012: Highly Important Collection of Spanish and Latin American 8 Reales and other Coins from the Spanish Empire, Madrid: Cayon Subastas, 2012.
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