1161

Lot of 43 miscellaneous copper coins used in local commerce in Panama in the mid-1500s, including an

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / World Coins - World Start Price:125.00 USD Estimated At:500.00 - 1,500.00 USD
Lot of 43 miscellaneous copper coins used in local commerce in Panama in the mid-1500s, including an
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This item SOLD at 2010 Apr 08 @ 19:10UTC-4 : AST/EDT
All items are genuine unless noted. Most shipwreck coins and artifacts come with a certificate of authenticity (please check the description for each item). By bidding in this auction you understand and agree to the Terms and Conditions posted here.
Lot of 43 miscellaneous copper coins used in local commerce in Panama in the mid-1500s, including an extremely rare Santo Domingo blanca of Charles-Joanna. 94.4 grams total. An eclectic mix of Spanish, Italian and Portuguese coins of the 1400s and early 1500s, all in corroded condition with only limited readability, vast range of colors (some green), one holed, but there is also a surprise here: a Santo Domingo blanca of Charles-Joanna (see featured coin in photo). This coin is similar to the earlier Spanish 1 maravedi, which is what Estrella (1979) called it in error, but a document from 1544 mentions the striking of "blancas de Santo Domingo" in billon (copper-silver mix) sometime between January 6, 1543 and June 10, 1544, per an order of April 15, 1541, their striking quickly discontinued due to difficulties in producing such a small coin and its rejection in commerce because of great variation in weight and size (even corroded, ours is rather large at 1.2 grams and 24 mm), depending on the ratio of copper to silver (many thanks to Jorge Proctor for archival research). Only about 6 specimens are known today (this one, in fact, the first ever offered at auction), each displaying mintmark P-S (as on our coin) or S-P flanking a crowned Gothic K (for Karolvs) on one side and anchor-shaped Y (for Yoanna) with assayer F to left on the other side, the names of the king and queen appearing in the legends on both sides.