Mozambique (1765) 4 reales
This specimen was lot 21064 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2020), where it sold for $1,920. The catalog description[1] noted,
"MOZAMBIQUE. Mozambique - Mexico. 4 Reales, ND (1765). PCGS VF-35 Gold Shield; Countermark: AU Details. Issued by decree of 20 August 1765 under Governor Baltazar Manoel Pereira do Lago. EXTREMELY RARE denomination, one of only three confirmed survivors with one unconfirmed. Incuse "MR" monogram applied to the obverse of a 1740-MoMF Mexican 4 Reales (KM-94).
Known examples:
1) Mexico 1740-MoMF - Ex: Bonhams auction July 16/17, 1996 "The Alexander Patterson Collection" Lot # 574 (present example).
2) Mexico 1751-MoMF - Ex: Glendining's Auction October 16, 1989 "The John J. Ford Collection" Lot # 292; with previous Mozambique "M" countermark.
3) Peru 1758-LIMA JM - Ex: Glendining's Auction October 16, 1989 "The John J. Ford Collection" Lot # 294.
4) Peru 1762-LIMA JM - "Catalogo Das Moedas De Mocambique", pg. 29; Porto 1969 (listed, but unconfirmed)
From the Kyle Ponterio Collection. Ex: Ira & Larry Goldberg Auction # 44 February 10, 2008 Lot # 4504. Ex: Ira & Larry Goldberg Auction # 41 May 27, 2007 Lot # 3682. Ex: Ponterio & Associates, Inc. Auction # 115 August 14, 2001 Lot # 779. Ex: Ponterio & Associates, Inc. Auction # 93 March 13/14, 1998 Lot # 2202. Ex: Bonhams Auction July 16/17, 1996 "The Alexander Patterson Collection" Lot # 574. Cited in Catalogo das Moedas de Mocambique by Vazco Azevedo published Porto 1969."
The SCWC lists this countermark only on various eight reales.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 14.54 g, 0.917 fine silver (host coin).
Catalog reference: KM-not listed; cf.Gomes-Jo.26.01 (for denomination); Vaz-denomination not listed; Azevedo-Pg.29 (this piece cited).
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- Alberto Gomes and Francisco Antonio Magro, Moedas Portuguesas e do Território Que Hoje é Portugal: Catálogo das Moedas Cunhadas para o Continentes e Ilhas Adjacentes, para os Territórios do Ultramar e Grão-Mestres Portugueses da Ordem de Malta, 6ª Edição, Lisbon: Associação Numismática de Portugal, 2013.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Richard Ponterio and Kyle Ponterio, The January 2020 NYINC Sale: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2019.
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