Bolivia 1638-P TR 8 reales

Sedwick Treasure Auction 36, lot 173

This specimen was lot 173 in Sedwick Auction 36 (Winter Park, FL, November 2024), where it sold for $. The catalog description^[1] noted, "BOLIVIA, Potosí, cob 8 reales, 1638 TR. Bold date (missing the 3 due to doubling) and very bold full mintmark-assayer and denomination, also with most of crown and king's name, the cross and shield full but weaker, light surface corrosion and toning. With original certificate from Captain Tracy Bowden through his contract with the Dominican Republic. Recovered from Concepción, sunk in 1641 off Hispaniola." 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 TR is noted for 1627-49, so he was likely involved.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 27.47 g, 0.931 fine silver, this specimen 25.07 grams.

Catalog reference: Cayón-limonite; S-P27; KM-19a; Cal-1465.

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 Potosi, 2nd Ed., Buenos Aires, 2006.
• ^[1]Sedwick, Daniel Frank, Augi Garcia, Cori Sedwick Downing, Connor Falk and Sarah Sproles, Treasure Auction 36, World, U.S Coins and Paper Money, featuring the Luis R. Ponte collection, the Jorge Becerra Collection and the John M. O'Brien collection, Winter Park, FL: Daniel Frank Sedwick LLC, 2024.

Link to:

• 1637 8 reales
• 1639 4 reales
• 1639 2 reales
• 1640 8 reales
• Coins and currency dated 1638