Bolivia 1652-P E real

Sedwick Treasure Auction 28, lot 240

This specimen was lot 240 in Sedwick Treasure Auction 28 (Winter Park, FL, November 2020), where it sold for $570. The catalog description^[1] noted, "Potosi, Bolivia, cob 1 real, 1652E, post-Transitional (McLean Type VII), 1-PH-6 at top. Choice full pillars and cross, two dates and assayers, three mintmarks, virtually no corrosion, toned on fields. With ROBCAR tag and photo-certificate #M20186. Recovered from: Consolacion, sunk in 1681 off Santa Clara Island, Ecuador." The 1649-52 was a period of reform at the Potosi mint; it was found that the previous mintmasters in office 1625-48 had been debasing the cobs, a crime for which one official paid with his life. This type was struck 1652-66. We don't know why this example is overweight.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 3.38 g, 0.931 fine silver, this specimen 3.42 grams.

Catalog reference: S-P37a; KM-13; Cal-750, Cayón-5781.

Source:

• 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 Juan Carlos I, 1474 a 2001, Barcelona: Aureo & Calicó, 2008.
• Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
• Menzel, Sewall, Cobs, Pieces of Eight and Treasure Coins, New York: The American Numismatic Society, 2004.
• ^[1]Sedwick, Daniel Frank, Augi Garcia and Cori Sedwick Downing, Treasure Auction 28, featuring the Dr. Peter Jones and John O'Brien collections, Winter Park, FL: Daniel Frank Sedwick LLC, 2020.

Link to:

• 1652 4 reales
• 1652 8 reales
• 1663 real
• Coins and currency dated 1652