Cob ID needed (Half Reale)

Iron Patch

Gold Member
Sep 28, 2007
19,254
8,732
Dirtyville
🥇 Banner finds
3
Detector(s) used
Deus
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting

Attachments

  • cob1.JPG
    cob1.JPG
    43.7 KB · Views: 450
Mackaydon said:
Guessing:
One maravedis from the reign of Philip V.
Don..

Thanks but...

No, it's definitely silver.
 

Mackaydon said:
Ok; if silver, then a real. If about 15mm dia. then a 1/2 real.


Now just tell me who it is attributed to and you win the prize. :D
 

Menzel i.d. is Type IV - Half-real (Po-330).
Reign of Phillip V, minted at Potosi, assayer would be Ybarbouru (though his initial would not appear on these coins.)
 

Thanks guys!!

One last question, what's the best book out there for Cobs/Reales. Not concerned about the price.
 

A good 'starter' book is The Practical Book of Cobs by Sedwick. In his book he lists many more references.
Zephyr mentioned Menzel; another good author. If you get into the transitional issue from Potosi (1652) his book, The Potosi Mint Scandal and Great Transition of 1652" I found to be a must buy.
Don...
 

Two I've found to be really nice are the books about gold and silver cobs (respectively) in the Florida collection (by Alan Craig.) Excellent pictures and information.

Sewall Menzel's book is the most comprehensive I've seen (I have to return my borrowed copy next week :'( ), pictures of nearly everything (including the ultra-rare 1659 Lima Star 8 escudo, which I've been trying to track down for months. Suuuure, you can find anything on the internet....)

Remember, the library is your friend.... ;)
 

Zephyr said:
Two I've found to be really nice are the books about gold and silver cobs (respectively) in the Florida collection (by Alan Craig.) Excellent pictures and information.

Sewall Menzel's book is the most comprehensive I've seen (I have to return my borrowed copy next week :'( ), pictures of nearly everything (including the ultra-rare 1659 Lima Star 8 escudo, which I've been trying to track down for months. Suuuure, you can find anything on the internet....)

Remember, the library is your friend.... ;)
You mean this one?
st.jpg


It comes from Monedas Espanolas Desde Juana y Carlos A Isabel II, Barcelona Edicion. I find it pretty good.
 

Iron Patch said:
I think I know the answer to this but would like some feedback.

I will likely have a follow up question too.

Hmmm, I would have thought Lima mint. Oh, well. Live and learn.

By the way, I saw a travel thing about South America on TV the other day where the guy visited Potosi and a silver mine that had been in operation since the Spanish colonial days. It was amazing to think that some of my cobs might have come from that same mine and then down those same mountain trails to the galleons before they found their way to the Treasure Coast.
 

Indy:
You may wish to consider also the possibility that one or more of your cobs may have been lost at sea (even more than once) BEFORE they were again lost on the Treasure Coast. For example, following the wreck history of the Jesús María de la Límpia Concepción ("Capitana") in/from 1654 will lead you to several other wrecks, one being the Las Maravillas (sunk in 1656). Also, one of the Jupiter Beach wrecks, the Archangel, is another candidate for having carried some of the "Capitana's" salvaged cobs.
Don.....
 

Mackaydon said:
Indy:
You may wish to consider also the possibility that one or more of your cobs may have been lost at sea (even more than once) BEFORE they were again lost on the Treasure Coast. For example, following the wreck history of the Jesús María de la Límpia Concepción ("Capitana") in/from 1654 will lead you to several other wrecks, one being the Las Maravillas (sunk in 1656). Also, one of the Jupiter Beach wrecks, the Archangel, is another candidate for having carried some of the "Capitana's" salvaged cobs.
Don.....

I have an escudo that I suspect was lost in the ocean more than once because it was mounted in a modern ring when I found it. Who knows how many other times. Thanks for the additional info.
 

You mean this one? (pic)

Yep, that's the one. Menzel's book has photographs of the actual coin (and also of the 1660 one.) Find one and you've hit the lottery.... ;D
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top