Bolivia 1744-P C 8 reales
This specimen was lot 614 in Sedwick Treasure Auction 28 (Winter Park, FL, November 2020), where it sold for $264. The catalog description[1] noted, "Potosi, Bolivia, cob 8 reales, 1744C. Incredibly crude flan, with up to a 4 mm difference in thickness from ragged edge to humped center, yet clearly high grade (AU by today's standards) and with two clear dates and assayers and three mintmarks, the cross and pillars full and well centered." The Spanish colony of Upper Peru produced hammered cob coinage at the Potosi mint from 1573 to 1773, with a major debasement scandal and subsequent reform occurring in 1649-1652. 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. Assayers "C" and "q" are both listed for 1744.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 27.07 g, 0.917 fine silver, this specimen 27.37 grams.
Catalog reference: S-P49; KM-31a; Cal-1585, Cayón-9453.
- 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.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- Menzel, Sewall, Cobs, Pieces of Eight and Treasure Coins, New York: The American Numismatic Society, 2004.
- [1]Sedwick, Daniel Frank, Augi Garcia and Cori Sedwick Downing, Treasure Auction 28, featuring the Dr. Peter Jones and John O'Brien collections, Winter Park, FL: Daniel Frank Sedwick LLC, 2020.
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