1621-1655 Cob

[Brian W]

I found this Cob over the weekend in a small field...My question is the date...Is it 1637?...It has a 37 in the top left of the coin.....I did some research and know it is a mexico mint from 1621-1655...but couldnt find any info on date location...If there even is one...Thanks BrianW

 

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[ivan salis]

it must be a bit of a sheild type silver cob coin made from 1572 to 1734--mexico mint mark O over M and balls on cross end * mote ===mexicomint first started dating coins in 1607 so between 1607 / 1734 --the only 37 in that time frame is 1637

 

[Brian W]

Thanks Ivan...Im pretty sure its a PVS type coin tho..not the shield. But im new to the cob coins.

 

[ivan salis]

humm odd some websites say the first dated coins from the mexico mint was in 1607 -- it appears it is marked with a 37 on the edge however but it has the PVS type design of a 1/2 reale coin --if so has to be a 1537 coin date range era

 

[Brian W]

Thanks Ivan

 

[ivan salis]

wait a min --while the PvS coins are supposed to be undated --there was a rarish 3 reale piece --could the 3 be a value number?

 

[Brian W]

it is tiny...it wouldnt be a 3 reale...id say 1/2 reale

 

[Mackaydon]

The three reales coin was minted during the reign of Carlos and Joana, beginning about 1537. The coin was unpopular and discontinued two years later. The denomination of the '3' was noted by either three verticle bars or three dots found on the reverse above the panel; not by numbers--and the legend letters were Gothic. Maybe there was a later issue of the 3-reales, but at this time I'm unaware of it.
The three reales was a 'normal' coin, not a cob. Cobs came into circulation in Mexico about 1556.
Don..

 

[ivan salis]

what you have might only be part of the coin not the whole thing * coins were often cut into chunks to make change --the number thing gets me = as from what I understand mexico city mint coins were not dated until 1607 -- yet this coin clearly seems to be a PvS type 1/2 reale that has what seems to be a 37 on it (1537 1/2 reale?)

 

[Mackaydon]

Ivan:
I agree with the 1607 date being the first date on Mexican coins, but those were on 'shield' coins not Pilars and Waves.
Don......

 

[realeswatcher]

it's a 1703 Mexico half real

Brian, what you found is a very nice little (17)03 dated Mexico mint half real, featuring a Philip V monogram... That isn't a "7" after the 3, that's the left edge of the crown... it shows "0 3 * crown" (the * or period being a divider in the design). Part of a shield cob? 1537?... the rare 3 Reales??!!... getting way off the reservation there. One aside about the monograms... it can be hard to attribute one of these Philip monograms. Keep in mind, they used some variant of a "PvS" monogram under Philip II (1556-98), Philip III (1598-1621), Philip IIII (1621-65), and then again for Philip V (1700-1733)... While there are differences/identifying features that someone well-versed on these can attribute them with, the monogram for all the Kings Philip don't look a heck of a lot different from each other. They can be easily confused...

Also, dating on the Mexican pieces started in 1607 for the shield-type 1R, 2R, 4R, 8R... and right around then on the monogrammed half-real as well.

Aside from some old scratches/contact marks, your piece is in very decent shape. What makes it nice is the strike and its positioning. The half real pieces were very hit or miss in terms A) how level the planchet was, which affected how much detail would actually make it onto the coin during striking, and B) the centering of the design during the strike. Ever try to perfectly stamp a thumbnail-sized piece of metal??!! Whenever I see these, I always wonder if doing the half-reales wasn't the mint equivalent of being made to peel potatoes...

Your piece happens to be on a very nice level planchet, allowing a large amount of detail to make it on the coin (no big "flat spots", or areas on the planchet that were never imprinted). In addition, what made it onto the coin is mainly the upper portion on the design... so your piece caught most of the Philip V "PvS" monogram, a bold mintmark (though it missed the assayer mark, which would be "L", just beneath that), and much of the crown. The best part is that it also caught a perfectly clear "03" of a 1703 date.

Hold off on cleaning with anything besides water and a toothpick... could probably use some educated improvement, but it's a nice little piece as is, so don't ruin it.

 

[Trez]

Way to go Brian
I would agree with Rwatcher.
1703 and a really nice one at that...they don't get much better than that.

PS. They do...but yours is right up there.

Trez

 

[Brian W]

1703 sounds great...Thanks for all your help everyone...I love this coin its a beauty