986

Lima, Peru, cob 8 reales Royal, 1659V, "Star of Lima" type, extremely rare (3 known).

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / Cobs - Lima Silver Start Price:4,000.00 USD Estimated At:6,000.00 - 12,000.00 USD
Lima, Peru, cob 8 reales Royal, 1659V,  Star of Lima  type, extremely rare (3 known).
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This item SOLD at 2012 Oct 26 @ 11:43UTC-4 : AST/EDT
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Lima, Peru, cob 8 reales Royal, 1659V, "Star of Lima" type, extremely rare (3 known). S-L5; KM-unl (as a Royal); CT-265. 27.3 grams. Even though the "Star of Lima" issue of 1659-60 was not authorized by the king, it appears there were at least two issuances of presentation pieces, both the completely round and broad (and often gilt) "Royals" like this lot and the slightly less-round and generally smaller "pseudo-Royals" like the next lot, which most believe were made to show to the king, who eventually shut down the operation in 1660. While we have handled three of the 1659 pseudo-Royals, this coin is the first full-fledged Royal we have offered, and it is apparently the best of 3 known, the others being Lazaro #A1 (from the 2003 addenda, as missing in the original edition) and the Calico Plate Coin, both of which are holed and appreciably smaller than our specimen at a diameter of 42 mm, perfectly round, with complete, perfectly centered and well-struck details (just a few minor flat spots). This piece has obviously seen some wear, as it is no better than VF, but most likely the wear is not from circulation so much as from display as a medallion of some sort, especially since there is a plugged hole at the top of the pillars side and traces of gilding. All 3 Royals were struck from the same obverse die, but our coin has a unique reverse. Also all of these full-fledged Royals have .8.V. to either side of the pillars, inside which is L-*-M above a line above 1659, as opposed to the arrangement that is seen on the pseudo-Royals (see next lot). We feel this supports the theory that the pseudo-Royals were an early presentation, lost in the "Jupiter wreck" disaster, while the later "true" Royals were a second attempt to show the king, probably sent to Spain on the next aviso ship in April of 1660, maybe even with the famous 1659 and 1660 8 escudos that are now housed in the Banco de Espana museum in Madrid.