Peru 1696-L Ho 2 reales
This specimen was lot 445 in Sedwick Treasure Auction 26 (Winter Park, FL, November 2019), where it sold for $357. The catalog description[1] noted, "Lima, Peru, cob 2 reales, 1696, assayer oH, very rare. Well-detailed but slightly off-center Fine+ (inexplicably underweight) with full pillars-and-waves and cross-lions-castles, full CAROLVS II in legend (with tiny hole in the R, equating to the bottom of the pillars on the other side, opposite a small edge-crack at top), two dates, but most important feature is the full and clear assayer oH to right of cross, a variety of just this year and only in the 8R and 2R denominations." Despite pleas from locals in Lima for a mint, Spanish authorities preferred to concentrate coinage production at Potosi in Upper Peru. The mint was shuttered multiple times by orders from Spain, not to reopen permanently until 1684. Cob two reales were struck at the Lima mint 1684-1700 for Charles II of Spain and became the "two bits" 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.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 6.77 g, 0.917 fine silver, this specimen 5.85 g.
Catalog reference: S-L13; KM-21; CT-570, Cayón-7407.
- 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.
- [1]Sedwick, Daniel Frank, Augi Garcia and Cori Sedwick Downing, Treasure Auction 26, Winter Park, FL: Daniel Frank Sedwick LLC, 2019.
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