Bolivia 1649-P Z 8 reales
This specimen was lot 271 in Sedwick sale 34 (Winter Park, FL, November 2023), where it sold for $3,120. The catalog description[1] noted, "Potosí, Bolivia, cob 8 reales, 1649 Z, with crowned-L countermark on cross, NGC VF details / saltwater damage / Maravillas (Shipwreck Blue Label). Broad flan with minimal surface pitting (and oddly overweight), clear full date outside of full but doubled cross with nearly full countermark in middle, good full shield with partial Z assayer to left and full denomination 8 to right (slightly doubled), patchy dark toning all over. With original Sedwick photo-certificate number 233. Recovered from: Maravillas, sunk in 1656 off Grand Bahama Island." This type was struck 1625-48 for Philip IV. It was discredited in the debasement scandal of 1650-52 when authorities in Spain finally acknowledged that a cabal at the Potosí mint had been cheating the king for years. Assayer "Z" served 1648-49 only. The other mints were instructed to melt down the nonconforming cobs but coin shortages were such that they were counterstamped instead. Even so, these late dates (after 1645) are rare today.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 27.07 g, 0.931 fine silver, this specimen 27.89 grams.
Catalog reference: Cayón-6404, S-P34; KM-19a; Cal-1485.
- 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 Felipe VI, 1474 a 2020, Barcelona: Aureo & Calicó, 2019.
- 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]Sedwick, Daniel Frank, Augi Garcia, Cori Sedwick Downing and Connor Falk, Treasure Auction 34, World, U.S Coins and Paper Money, Winter Park, FL: Daniel Frank Sedwick LLC, 2023.
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