Guatemala 1765-G P 4 reales
This specimen was lot 71550 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, November 2022), where it sold for $1,560. The catalog description[1] noted, "GUATEMALA. 4 Reales, 1765-G. Guatemala Mint; Assayer Pedro Sanchez de Guzman (P). Charles III. PCGS Genuine--Plugged, VG Details. A heavily-circulated yet truly RARE piece. While most of its details have lost their sharpness due to wear, this coin presents fully legible legends and date. Its surfaces are attractively toned, with deep mottled grays in the fields that contrast with the brighter devices. The faint outline of a plug is visible near the 12 o'clock position on the obverse, but this plugging was done carefully and the resulting mark is unobtrusive and easily overlooked. Despite its shortcomings, a pleasing example from a challenging date. From the Pat Johnson Collection. Privately purchased from Freeman Craig." This specimen is a 1765 four reales from the Guatemala mint, of a type issued 1760-71. All pillar coinage from Guatemala is scarce and many issues are rare. Assayer "P" is noted for the years 1759-85. Unlike the other colonial mints, Guatemala seems to have issued more four reales than any other denomination. Gilboy marks the half, one and two reales as "rare" and the eight reales as "scarce" to "normal." None are marked as common. Guatemala issues are notably cruder than other mints.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 13.54 g, 0.917 fine silver.
Catalog reference: Cayón-11709, KM-26; Gil-G-4-14; Cal-796.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- 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.
- Gilboy, Frank F., The Milled Columnarios of Central and South America: Spanish American Pillar Coinage, 1732 to 1772, Regina, Saskatchewan: Prairie Wind Publishing, 1999.
- Harris, Robert P., Pillars & Portraits, San José, CA: Bonanza Press, 1968.
- Jara, Carlos M., Historia de la Casa de Moneda de Guatemala 1731-1776, Santiago, Chile: Andros Impresores, 2010.
- 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.
- Yonaka, Brad, A Variety Guide to the Pillar Coinage of the Guatemala, Bogota, Lima, Potosi, and Santiago Mints, 1752-1771, Long Beach, CA: Agorocu Consulting, 2018.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The November 2022 Collectors Choice Ancient & World Coins Auction, Featuring the Pat Johnson Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2022.
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