Chile 1773-So DA 8 reales

Heritage sale 3081, lot 30293

This specimen was lot 30293 in Heritage sale 3081 (New York, January 2020), where it sold for $6,600. The catalog description^[1] noted, "Chile, Charles III 8 Reales 1773 So-DA VF25 PCGS, Santiago mint. The extremely rare first year of issue for these bust type 8 Reales, decreed in Chile for 1772 but not produced until the following year. Only two specimens have been graded by NGC or PCGS, both VF; the supposed mintage for 1773 was 27,000 pieces but the vast majority appear to have been melted down. As such, with only a handful known, the majority of Latin American cabinets will lack an example. The present offering is evenly worn yet with a great deal of silvery luster, the peripheries toned to a light gold. An exceptional rarity sure to encourage spirited bidding." Despite what seems to be a fairly substantial recorded mintage and nearly continuous production during 1773-89, Santiago portrait eight reales of Charles III are almost as scarce as pillar dollars from that mint. This date is listed as rare even for this scarce type.

Recorded mintage: 27,000, a rare date.

Specification: 27.07 g, 0.903 fine silver, .780 troy oz ASW.

Catalog reference: Cayón-12016, KM 31.

Source:

• Harris, Robert P., Pillars & Portraits, San José, CA: Bonanza Press, 1968.
• Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
• Elizondo, Carlos A., Eight Reales and Pesos of the New World, San Antonio, TX: 1968.
• Raymond, Wayte, The Silver Dollars of North and South America, 2nd Ed., Racine, WI: Whitman Publishing, 1964.
• 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]Bierrenbach, Cristiano, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, Heritage World and Ancient Coins Auction 3081, featuring the Caranett Collection, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2019.

Link to:

• Chile 1768-So A 8 reales
• 1773 ½ real
• 1773 real
• 1773 2 reales
• Bolivia 1773-PTS JR 8 reales
• Guatemala 1773-G P 8 reales
• Mexico 1773-Mo FM 8 reales
• Peru 1773-L JM 8 reales
• Peru 1773-L MJ 8 reales
• Spain 1773-M PJ 8 reales
• 1773 8 escudos
• 1777 8 reales
• Coins and currency dated 1773