Bolivia 1684-P VR 8 reales
This specimen was lot 590 in Sedwick Treasure Auction 27 (Winter Park, FL, May 2020), where it sold for $4,760. The catalog description[1] noted, "Potosí, Bolivia, cob 8 reales Royal (galano), 1684VR, NGC XF details / holed. Broad flan with 100% full legends and inner details with rich toning all over, minimal doubling on pillars side only, small hole at top of cross side, that side a die-match with Lazaro #212 (R1) but pillars-side die unrecorded. NGC #4771444-003." Royals are known of this type from the Potosí 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 Potosí 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. This date also comes with assayer V.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 27.07 grams, 0.931 fine silver, .810 troy oz ASW, this specimen 25.93 grams.
Catalog reference: Cayón-7602, S-P40; KM-R26; Cal-680.
- 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 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]Sedwick, Daniel Frank, Augi Garcia and Cori Sedwick Downing, Treasure Auction 27, Winter Park, FL: Daniel Frank Sedwick LLC, 2020.
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