View source for Martinique (1770-72) 10 bits

[[Image:Gibraltar SB819-20691o.jpg|300px|thumb|from the Stack's Bowers 2019 ANA sale, lot 20691]]
[[Image:Gibraltar SB819-20691r.jpg|300px|thumb]]
[[Image:SB821-40415o.jpg|300px|thumb|Stack's Bowers 2021 ANA sale, lot 40415]]
[[Image:SB821-40415r.jpg|300px|thumb|photo courtesy Stack's Bowers LLC]]

The first specimen was lot 20691 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Chicago, August 2019), where it sold for $4,080. The catalog description<sup>[1]</sup> noted, "GIBRALTAR. 10 Bits, ND (1770-72). NGC VF-30. Heart-shaped hole pierced from the center of a Mexico 1757-Mo MM 8 Reales, with ornamental edges. An enigmatic countermarked issue upon a pleasing host. RARE." The second specimen was lot 40415 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Costa Mesa, CA, August 2021), where it sold for $4,560. The catalog description<sup>[2]</sup> noted, "GIBRALTAR. Gibraltar - [[Mexico|MEXICO]]. 11 Bits (8 Shillings 3 Pence), ND (ca. 1765). NGC VF-35. Valued at Eight Shillings and Threepence, revalued to 10 Bitts in September 1798. Type III countermark: Small blunt heart-shaped cut-out with ornamented edges, cut from the obverse on a 1743-Mo MF Mexico Pillar 8 Reales of Philip V. The cut is clean leaving strong impressions of the design from the bi-facial countermark. This countermark type appears with some frequency on the market, but seldom does this variation become available. This well-cared for survivor displays lovely rich cabinet patina dripping with originality and is pleasing to the eye. A real treat for countermark and West Indies collectors alike to obtain a very difficult to locate issue destine[d] for an advanced high caliber collection. Ex: Rudman Collection." The type IV countermark was also applied to ½, 1, 2 and 5 bits; the half bit is the most common. This coin has been variously attributed to [[Gibraltar]], [[Dominica]] and [[Martinique]]; we follow the SCWC in assigning it to Martinique.

''Recorded mintage:'' unknown.

''Specification:'' host coin 27.07 g, 0.917 fine silver, this specimen 22.35 gms.  

''Catalog reference:'' KM-20 (Martinique); Prid-16 (Dominica). 

''[[Bibliography|Source:]]''
* Byrne, Ray, ''Coins and Tokens of the Caribees,'' Decatur, IL: Jess Peters, Inc., 1975.
* Pridmore, F., ''The Coins of the British Commonwealth of Nations to the end of the Reign of George VI 1952: Part 3, Bermuda, British Guiana, British Honduras and the British West Indies,'' London: Spink & Son, 1965.
* Michael, Thomas, ''Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed.,'' Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
* <sup>[1]</sup>Orsini, Matt, Richard Ponterio and Kyle Ponterio, ''The August 2019 Chicago ANA Auction: World Coins,'' Santa Ana, CA: [http://www.stacksbowers.com Stack's Bowers LLC], 2019.
* <sup>[2]</sup>Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, ''The August 2021 ANA sale: World and Ancient Coins,'' Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2021.

''Link to:''
* [[Martinique (1761-64) 2 bits]]
* [[Martinique (1764) 2 bits]]
* [[Martinique (1770-72) bit]]
* [[Martinique (1770-72) moco]]
* [[Coins and currency dated 1770]]

[[Category:Selections from the Stack's Bowers 2019 ANA sale]][[Category: Cut and countermarked coinage of the Caribbean]][[Category:Selections from the Stack's Bowers 2021 ANA sale]]