View source for Bolivia (1574-76)-P R 8 reales

[[Image:SB824-44001o.jpg|300px|thumb|from the Stack's Bowers 2024 ANA sale, lot 44001]]
[[Image:SB824-44001r.jpg|300px|thumb]]

This specimen was lot 44001 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Chicago, August 2024), where it sold for $7,500. The catalog description<sup>[1]</sup> noted, "Potosi's First Silver Dollar, [[Bolivia|BOLIVIA]]. Cob 8 Reales, ND (1574-76)-P R. Potosi Mint. Philip II. PCGS Genuine--Corrosion Removed, EF Details. Assayer Alonso Rincon. A highly engaging example from this EXTREMELY RARE earliest 8 Reales issue from Potosi. This well-produced specimen offers great clarity all around, with the mintmark, assayer's initial, and denomination shown proudly to the left and right of the crowned shield. A generous portion of the outer legend shows most of the king's name on the obverse. Turning the coin over, one finds the iconic castles and lions displayed within complete octolobes despite some partial doubling. Some peripheral roughness on the reverse hints at the noted corrosion removal, the coin's only mentionable drawback. Exceedingly elegant with its understated charcoal tone, this outstanding piece will generate endless enthusiasm. From the S.P. Rutherford Collection." The mountains around Potosi contained enormous amounts of high grade silver ore, a situation the Spanish were not slow to exploit. A mint was set up in the 1570's to process the silver mined there. The early products of the reign of Philip II are fairly good quality but rot set in during the following reign, including fraudulent debasement. The Potosí mint was the second mint in the western hemisphere to date its products. Dating began in 1617.

''Recorded mintage:'' unknown.

''Specification:'' 27.07 g, 0.931 fine silver, this specimen 27.09 g. 

''Catalog reference:'' [[Spanish and Spanish colonial coins listed by Cayón number|Cayón-3937]], KM-5.1; Cal-667; Paoletti-47.

''[[Bibliography|Source:]]''
* Cayón, Adolfo, Clemente Cayón and Juan Cayón, ''Las Monedas [[Spain|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.
* Paoletti, Emilio, ''8 Reales Cobs of Potosí, 2nd Ed.,'' Buenos Aires, 2006.
* <sup>[1]</sup>Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, ''August 2024 Global Showcase Auction, World & Ancient Coins, featuring The Emilio M. Ortiz Collection, The Richard Margolis Collection and The Rutherford Collection,'' Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2024.

''Link to:''
* [[Bolivia (1574-76)-P R 1/4 real|(1574-76) ¼ real]]
* [[Bolivia (1574-76)-P R 1/2 real|(1574-76) ½ real]]
* [[Bolivia (1574-76)-P R real|(1574-76)-R real]]
* [[Bolivia (1574-76)-P R 2 reales|(1574-79)-R 2 reales]]
* [[Bolivia (1574-76)-P R 4 reales|(1574-79)-R 4 reales]]
* [[Bolivia (1574-79)-P L 8 reales|(1574-79)-L 8 reales]]
* [[Bolivia (1574-86)-P B 8 reales|(1574-86)-B 8 reales]]
* [[Bolivia (1575-76)-P M 4 reales|(1575-76)-M 4 reales]]
* [[Coins and currency dated 1574]]

[[Category:Selections from the Stack's Bowers 2024 ANA sale]][[Category:Cob coinage of Latin America and Spain]][[Category:Silver pesos of Latin America]]