Peru 1737-L N 1/2 real
This specimen was lot 1839 in Sedwick Auction 37 (Winter Park, FL, May 2025), where it sold for $660. The catalog description[1] noted, "PERU, Lima, cob ½ real, 1737 N, very rare as from a shipwreck. XF with light surface corrosion, bold monogram with date below, off-center cross with two dates below it due to wide doubling, edge a bit crude (as made), rare type to come from a shipwreck. With original certificate from the salvors, pedigreed to Sedwick Auction 12, with original lot-tag 874. Recovered from Santa Leocadia, sunk in 1800 off Punta Santa Elena, Ecuador." Cob half reales were struck 1701-28 for Philip V with an interruption in 1725 for the short reign of Luis I, and became the "half bits" of pirate lore. Specimens with legible dates bring triple those without. The fineness was lowered from 0.931 to 0.917 in 1728. The assayer is not legible on this example, a common occurrence for cob half reales.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 1.69 g, 0.931 fine silver, this specimen 1.20 grams.
Catalog reference: Cayón-8267, S-L21; KM-30a; Cal-168.
- 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 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.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- [1]Sedwick, Daniel Frank, Augi Garcia, Cori Sedwick Downing, Connor Falk and Sarah Sproles, Treasure Auction 37, World, U.S Coins and Paper Money, featuring the Almenara Collection of Colonial Peruvian Gold Coins, Winter Park, FL: Daniel Frank Sedwick LLC, 2025.
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