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Original die for pillars side of a Potosi, Bolivia, cob 8 reales Royal, 1725Y, (Louis I), unique and

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / Cobs - Potosi Silver Start Price:2,500.00 USD Estimated At:5,000.00 - 10,000.00 USD
Original die for pillars side of a Potosi, Bolivia, cob 8 reales Royal, 1725Y, (Louis I), unique and
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This item SOLD at 2012 Apr 10 @ 21:56UTC-4 : AST/EDT
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Original die for pillars side of a Potosi, Bolivia, cob 8 reales Royal, 1725Y, (Louis I), unique and highly important. S-P43b; KM-R35; CT-20. 1226 grams, approx. 2-1/4" square x 2-1/2" tall. Never before have we offered a cob die, let alone one for a Louis I Royal! According to our research of extant coins, 3 different pillars sides (different dies) are known of the 8R 1725 Royal, none of which matches the die in this lot, although the punches on this die are clearly genuine and show the trefoil ornaments in the legend that were only used for Royals. While this die does appear a bit "shallow" in terms of depth of detail (also with some surface corrosion), undoubtedly this is the normal result of a life of striking coins. Virtually no other dies of this period exist outside museums for comparison (the only one ever available for sale to our knowledge being the 2R Royal 1737M specimen in Karon), but the shape and structure of this piece are commensurate with a series of early-1800s portrait dies that entered the numismatic market over the past several years. The rest of the die appears very old and well used too, with the hammer end somewhat blunted from use and the tapering sides (squarish-octagonal in cross-section) well patinated. A thoroughly exciting piece of numismatic history, one of a kind, and of critical importance to the serious collector.

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