Need Help with Shipwreck Cob ID

Michigan Badger

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Oct 12, 2005
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Northern, Michigan
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The shipwreck is that of the Boticaria, a coastal trader coming to Porto Belo from Cartagena Colombia.

In addition to this 1 reale cob, I recently purchased many items recovered from off the Boticaria itself (or from the immediate area) back before the wreck became protected.

This ship wrecked in a storm, along with several rich vessels, in 1681.

Questions: What is the mint and date of this cob? Again, it is a 1 reale cob.

Thanks,

Badger
 

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Badger:
I looked at the bottom pic and it appears to have a date ending in '3' and maybe a '7' before the three; making it 1673. I also envision a mintmark of "P" (to the right of the '3', indicating Potosi.
Caveat: My old eyes can easiy deceive.
Don.......
PS: I think Cartegena ;P and L; cobs were made only during the 1650s, so I ruled out that mint. Bogata minted during the period of the loss of the vessel, but didn't have (to my knowledge) a "P" mintmark; only a "P" as part of either of two assayer's names.
Don........
 

Mackaydon said:
Badger:
I looked at the bottom pic and it appears to have a date ending in '3' and maybe a '7' before the three; making it 1673. I also envision a mintmark of "P" (to the right of the '3', indicating Potosi.
Caveat: My old eyes can easiy deceive.
Don.......
PS: I think Cartegena ;P and L; cobs were made only during the 1650s, so I ruled out that mint. Bogata minted during the period of the loss of the vessel, but didn't have (to my knowledge) a "P" mintmark; only a "P" as part of either of two assayer's names.
Don........

Thanks Don.

Badger
 

Badger... I am pretty sure Don was spot on... looks like a Potosi Mint - 1673... very nice! Same type of coins as are most commonly recovered from the Consolacion wreck off of Equador which went down in the same year (1681). Phips
 

PhipsFolly said:
Badger... I am pretty sure Don was spot on... looks like a Potosi Mint - 1673... very nice! Same type of coins as are most commonly recovered from the Consolacion wreck off of Equador which went down in the same year (1681). Phips

I agree.

I've cleaned many cobs from the Consolacion wreck.

This one was found by a diver back in the 1970's.

Thanks,

Badger
 

Badger;
Did you purchase any other cobs when you bought the 'Boticaria' collection? I'd find them interesting to view; especialy, if they are from the Bogata mint.
It's possible, of course, that this coin 'migrated' across the continent from Potosi to Cartegena; and that it was on the Boticaria out of from Cartegena. I guess it's equally possible that the coin came from the 'Consolacion' or another later one out of Peru.
Don.....
 

Mackaydon said:
Badger;
Did you purchase any other cobs when you bought the 'Boticaria' collection? I'd find them interesting to view; especially, if they are from the Bogata mint.
It's possible, of course, that this coin 'migrated' across the continent from Potosi to Cartegena; and that it was on the Boticaria out of from Cartegena. I guess it's equally possible that the coin came from the 'Consolacion' or another later one out of Peru.
Don.....

Yes I agree but this was the only cob for sale from that general site.

The fellow selling these on ebay is all sold out now and I didn't even notice his offerings until the very end :'(

He got very good prices for his stuff.

I have some lead jar lids, ship spike/nails, mini ball, and parts of a big padlock plus many unknowns.

Badger
 

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