Bolivia 1707-P Y 8 reales

photo courtesy Cayon Subastas

The Spanish colony of Upper Peru produced hammered cob coinage at the Potosí mint from 1573 to 1773, with a major debasement scandal and subsequent reform occurring in 1649-1652. The period 1767-1770 saw simultaneous issue of milled columnarios. The royal or presentation issues are very rare and highly sought after, while the regular strikes vary in price according to the visibility of the date, mint, and assayer initials. The specimen shown was lot 601 at Cayon Subastas auction held February 4, 2012, where it sold for 170 euros (about US$264 with buyer’s fees). The catalog description^[1] noted "Potosí. 8 reales. 1707. Y. Dos fechas visibles. MBC-. Escasa. (Potosi 8 reales, 1707-Y. Two dates visible. About very fine. Scarce)."

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 27.07 g, 0.931 silver, 0.8103 oz ASW. This specimen 26.7 g.

Catalog reference: KM-31; Cayón-9205, Plt314.

Source:

• 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.
• 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]Cayon Subastas, Auction February 2012: Highly Important Collection of Spanish and Latin American 8 Reales and other Coins from the Spanish Empire, Madrid: Cayon Subastas, 2012.
• Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.

Links to:

• 1706 8 reales
• 1707 4 reales "heart"
• 1708 8 reales
• Coins and currency dated 1707
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