Peru 1687-L R 2 reales
This specimen was lot 36428 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Chicago, August 2022), where it sold for $528. The catalog description[1] noted, "PERU. 2 Reales, 1687-L R. Lima Mint. Charles II. PCGS AU-53." Despite pleas from locals in Lima for a mint, Spanish authorities preferred to concentrate coinage production at Potosi in Upper Peru. The Lima mint was shuttered multiple times by orders from Spain, not to reopen permanently until 1684. Cob eight reales were struck at the Lima mint 1701-46 for Philip V of Spain and became the "pieces of eight" of pirate lore. The fineness was lowered from 0.931 to 0.917 in 1728. The Mexico City mint was converted to milled coinage in 1732-34 but Lima would not follow suit until 1751. Assayer R is listed for 1685-88, 1690-91, 1695 and 1699 altho two reales were not struck all of those years.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 6.77 g, 0.931 fine silver, this specimen 6.56 g.
Catalog reference: KM-21; Cal-344, Cayón-7376.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- 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 Felipe VI, 1474 a 2020, Barcelona: Aureo & Calicó, 2019.
- Menzel, Sewall, Cobs, Pieces of Eight and Treasure Coins, New York: The American Numismatic Society, 2004.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The 2022 ANA Auction - Ancients & World Coins - Featuring The Salton Collection Part III and the Robert C. Knepper Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2022.
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