Panama (1556-98)-Pa Bo 2 reales
This specimen was lot 651 in Sedwick Treasure Auction 28 (Winter Park, FL, November 2020), where it sold for $6,600. The catalog description[1] noted, "Panama, cob 2 reales, Philip II, assayer oB to right, mintmark AP above denomination II to left, very rare, ex-Jones (Plate Coin). Nicely toned VF with good full shield, full but off-center and slightly doubled cross, much bold legend, very bold mintmark and assayer, die-match with Proctor 2R.1B. Pedigreed to the Dr. Peter Jones collection, plated on page 184 of his book The First Coins of the Americas (2020), and to our Auction 24, with original lot-tag #871, and to our Auction 17, with original lot-tag #1038." Cayón attributes the PA mintmark to Upper Peru (Potosi) but most authors attribute it to Panama City, which operated briefly in the reign of Philip II. An insalubrious climate and pirate attacks discouraged the development of a mint. Four, two, one and half reales were struck but all are rare.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 6.77 g, 0.931 fine silver, this specimen 6.75 grams.
Catalog reference: S-AP4; Cal-362; KM-3.3, Cayón-3574.
- 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.
- Krause, Chester L., and Colin R. Bruce II, Standard Catalog of World Coins: Spain, Portugal and the New World, Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2002.
- Menzel, Sewall, Cobs, Pieces of Eight and Treasure Coins, New York: The American Numismatic Society, 2004.
- [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.
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