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Large silver ingot #191 from Oruro, 68 lb 8.96 oz troy, Class Factor 0.9, with markings of manifest

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / Coins: Shipwreck Ingots Start Price:22,000.00 USD Estimated At:25,000.00 - 50,000.00 USD
Large silver ingot #191 from Oruro, 68 lb 8.96 oz troy, Class Factor 0.9, with markings of manifest
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This item SOLD at 2019 Nov 01 @ 10:31UTC-4 : AST/EDT
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Large silver ingot #191 from Oruro, 68 lb 8.96 oz troy, Class Factor 0.9, with markings of manifest LXIIII (64), fineness IIUCCCLXXX (2380/2400), silvermaster and tax stamps, ex-Atocha (1622), ex-Caesars Palace auction (1987). 14-3/4" x 4-1/2" x 2-3/4". Like most Oruro bars (easily recognizable by the cylindrical assayer's "bite" at one end, as opposed to the double-scoop on the top of Potosi bars), this one has unique markings, in this case a pair of 75% complete circular tax stamps (design of lions and castles in shield within legend of Philip III), both of which show what appears to be a letter B to left (no doubt the initial of a royal official at the mine), in addition to another circular mark (first we have seen) with ORV / RO+ on top of a fainter mark (possibly a 16ZI date). The manifest number (quite low, probably an early piece) and fineness are very bold and bear lots of contrasting toning. The only other markings are the V in one corner for silvermaster de Vreder, within a diagonal slash. A premium bar overall, especially so with provenance to the original Las Vegas 1987 auction and Gene Lyon manifest research. From the Atocha (1622), with original Fisher photo-certificate #85A-S191, pedigreed to the Caesars Palace auction of September 26, 1987 (lot #87), with original catalog (also with January 1988 Skin Diver magazine reporting on the results), and with original manifest report from Gene Lyon. Recovered from: Atocha, sunk in 1622 west of Key West, Florida