Bolivia 1634-P T 8 reales

Stack's Bowers 2023 ANA sale, lot 53760

This specimen was lot 53760 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Pittsburgh, PA, August 2023), where it sold for $360. The catalog description^[1] noted, "BOLIVIA. Cob 8 Reales, 1634-P T. Potosi Mint. Philip IV. NGC VF-20." Royals are known of this type from the Potosi mint but all are rare. The regular cob issues are not nearly as nice. The years 1649-52 were 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. Assayer T is noted for 1627-49, so he was likely involved.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 27.07 g, 0.931 fine silver, this specimen 27.2 g.

Catalog reference: KM-19A; Cal-1459, Cayón-6302.

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.
• Paoletti, Emilio, 8 Reales Cobs of Potosí, 2nd Ed., Buenos Aires, 2006.
• ^[1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, August 2023 Global Showcase Auction, World & Ancient Coins, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2023.

Link to:

• 1633 4 reales
• 1633 8 reales
• Colombia 1634-C E 8 reales
• Colombia 1634-NR A 8 reales
• Spain 1634-S R 8 reales
• 1635 8 reales
• Coins and currency dated 1634