Bolivia 1637-P TR 8 reales
Royals are known of this type from the Potosi mint for 1630-48 but all are rare. The regular cob issues are not nearly as nice. 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. However, one may presume that a presentation piece such as this would not be trifled with.
This specimen was lot 1146 in Sedwick sale 9 (Fort Lauderdale, FL, April 2011), where it sold for $12,650. The catalog description[1] noted, "Potosi, Bolivia, cob 8 reales Royal, 1637TR, very rare. This is an 8R Royal in all its glory: broad, round, fully detailed (including the legends) and richly toned VF, with traces of gilding on reverse but remarkably unholed. In fact, this is technically the only 'problem-free' specimen, as the other 4 known are either holed (Lazaro #96 and 97 and Calbeto #1006) or damaged (the Goodman specimen, Superior 6/96, lot #12, described as 'heavily gold plated' and 'an unprofessional attempt to remove the gilt [sic] left the surfaces with a peculiar texture'). Ours is therefore the finest known, and is sure to appeal to the most sophisticated of collectors."
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 27.07 grams, 0.931 fine silver (if full fineness), .810 troy oz ASW, this specimen 27.4 grams.
Catalog reference: Cayón-6327, S-P27; KM-R19a; CT-383.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- 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.
- 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 F., Augi Garcia and Cori Sedwick Downing, Treasure Auction #9, Winter Park, FL: Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC, 2011.
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