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    Philip V (1700-1746)

Eight Reales from the Spanish & VOC Treasure Fleets

S1. From the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de La Concepcion (lost 1641),

a rare N-R-P 16(28) eight reales struck at Santa Fe de Bogota [SOLD]

 Nuestra Senora de La Pura Y Limia Concepcion came to grief on the Abrojos Reef northeast of what is now called the Dominican Republic on July 23, 1641. The Almiranta of the 1641 Flota carried an exceptionally large treasure cargo of approximately 100 tons in precious metals. More than 300 passengers and crew perished with the ship, and the Spanish never salvaged the treasure.  Boston sea captain William Phipps became a national hero in 1687 when he salvaged over 30 tons of silver bars and coins for King James II. The Concepcion's site was rediscovered 291 years after Phipps by Burt Webber of Seaquest International. Webber worked the site successful for several seasons after 1978. Webber found thousands of Mexican eight and four reales, some Potosi eight reales, and also a few rare early Colombian eight reales, including the present coin.

The Bogota eight reales that Webber found have been invaluable in establishing or confirming the early history of this mint which opened in 1627. Miguel Pinto Camargo was the first full-time assayer at Bogota, working from 1627 to 1632 and marking his coinage with the letter P, which appears on this coin to the left of shield and below the letters NR. NR which for stand "Nuevo Reino" or the New Kingdom. Colombia was called at the time "the New Kingdom of Granada." The bottom stem of the P is off the flan. To the right of the shield is a bold denomination in Roman numerals, VIII. On the reverse in the legend we can read REX 16... We know the missing digits are 28, because of several very distinctive features of the 1628 issue. In the angles of a very  heavy cross are lions and castles that are too small for an 8 reales. Punches for a 4 reales were used on this and another 1628 reverse die, apparently because the normal punches for the 8 reales were not available. Only 1628 8 reales shows this combination of heavy cross and small lions & castles. See the Lasser/Restropo specimen M44-6a. The total surviving population of 1628 Bogota 8 reales may be less than a half dozen coins.

The preservation of this Concepcion 8 reales is exceptional (weight: 26.07 gm). The vast majority of Concepcion coins show significant corrosion, to the point that the design on one side or other is obscured. The few early Bogotas recovered show especially heavy corrosion, with weights usually below 23 grams.  I have seen (and owned) only one other Concepcion Bogota in comparable condition, a coin that sold as lot 200 in Christensen May 1982 Sale. In sum, the present coin is a rare early Bogota 8 reales with a great shipwreck pedigree. With Webber/ Seaquest certificate.

SOLD

terravitan@aol.com or 480-595-1293

S2.  From the Capitana of the 1733 Fleet, EL RUBI,

this full-date 1731 F Mexico 8 reales.

With a very informative 2 page photo-certificate from Bill Wood.

Unfortunately, most of the silver cobs offered in the marketplace as 1733 Fleet are not! Because choice dated 1733 Fleet eight reales are both rare and expensive, sellers routinely offer Vliegenthart and Rooswijk coins of the same dates, with various confabulated certs, as 1733 Fleet. I strongly recommend that you do not trust the "might be" pedigree of any alleged 1733 Fleet silver cob unless it has indisputable documentation from the original salvors. Dealers certs are not enough in this case. When you wish to sell your "1733 Fleet" coin and no one will pay what an indisputable 1733 Fleet cob is worth, you will discover this.

Bill Wood was one of the last salvors to legitimately work the so-called "Coffins Patch" EL RUBI site in 1986 before the State of Florida turned the wrecksite into a State Park. This 1731 Mexican eight reales was one of the best coins he found. Bill has done a great job in preparing a two page photo-certificate for this coin, detailing both the coinage and the history of the 1733 Fleet. A few other dated 1733 Fleet reales have come into my hands from Bill and John McSherry over the last 20 years, and I can second the opinion that this is an exceptional piece. If you would like to see a scan of Bill's certificate, or if you'd like more information on the coinage of the 1733 Fleet, just contact me.

SOLD

terravitan@aol.com or 480-595-1293

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S4. From the  galleon NUESTRA SENORA DE LAS MARAVILLAS (lost 1656)

      an exceptional full date 1655 P Mexican eight reales

Though quite a few salvors have briefly worked the site since 1972, there have been only been two authorized salvage efforts on the wreck of the Maravillas. Bob Marx discovered and worked the site with his Seafarers group in 1972-73, and then in 1989-1992 Humphreys and the Marex group conducted a very systematic salvage of the site. This exceptional well preserved (25.6 gms) Mexican eight comes from the Marx-era salvage. It sat proudly in a Florida collection for over 35 years, in the company of some equally remarkable 1715 Fleet silver, until recently re-appearing in the marketplace.

Not many well preserved and full date 1655 were recovered from the Maravillas. There is nothing of comparable quality in the coins Marx consigned to the December 1974 Schulman sale. Look at lots 210-247. A near twin to this 1655 does occur at lot 78 of the Christie's Marex sale of May 1992, but it is the only comparable coin in that sale. Notice that several coins in both sales show scrapes and scratches. Quite a few of the coins salvaged in 1970's in particular show scrapes and scratches. I asked about this once and was told it was the unavoidable result of having to dig them out of the Bahamian sand with trowels and shovels and other improvised excavation tools. The Seafarers salvage of the 1970's was not the well-financed, high-tech outing that Marex mounted 17 years later.

SOLD

terravtan@aol.com or 480-595-1293

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S5. A second 1655 Mexican eight reales from the MARAVILLAS,

this one pedigreed to Capt Humphreys' MAREX salvage of the wreck

with his 1991 Marex photo-certificate.

Bold date, some (removable) encrustation on the final digit. 

ex "Treasure Auction #4" (11/08), lot 314, where it sold for $460.

SOLD

terravitan@aol.com or 480-595-1293

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S6. From the wreck of the VOC East Indiaman Vliegenthart,

lost February 3, 1735 off the Zeeland coast of Holland,

this attractive full-date Mexican 1731/0 eight reales comes with the original Rex Cowan color cert (# 901769).

 Assayer F (Felipe Rivas Angulo) had the distinction of being the last assayer of silver cobs at Mexico City. This eight reales has everything you want in a Vliegenthart Mexican cob. Bold assayer and mint mark and full date---in this case, a scarce 1731/0 overdate. Nice cross with well struck lions and castles. Large 37 mm planchet, good weight at 25 gms, and t5he original Cowan color certificate.

SOLD.

terravitan@aol.com or 480-595-1293

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