Treasure Auction #1

DANIEL FRANK SEDWICK presents…

MAIL-BID

TREASURE AUCTION #1 closing Thursday, May 24, 2007, at 5:00 p.m. EDT

Daniel Frank Sedwick P.O. Box 1964 Winter Park, FL 32790 U.S.A. (407) 975-3325 • Fax (407) 975-3327

www.sedwickcoins.com Special email bidding address:

treasurebids@gmail.com Daniel Frank Sedwick, licensed Florida auctioneer #AU3635, AB2592  Copyright Daniel Frank Sedwick, 2007. All rights reserved.

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ORDER OF SALE closing Thursday, May 24, 2007, at 5:00 p.m. EDT

Section

Lots

Page

Biographies Shipwreck (and hoard) histories Arqueonautas (Fort San Sebastian Treasure [ca. 1560] and Princess Louisa [1743]) Gold cobs (featuring selections from the Joseph R. Lasser Collection of Colombian Cobs) Other gold coins Shipwreck ingots (featuring the Fort San Sebastian Treasure of ca. 1560) Shipwreck silver coins (featuring the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins and the Princess Louisa [1743] Reference Collection) Other silver coins (featuring selections from the Joseph R. Lasser Collection of Colombian Cobs) Medals pertaining to shipwrecks Artifacts (mostly from shipwrecks) Books and catalogs and other documents pertaining to ship(wreck)s: Prints/maps Books Auction catalogs

---1-19 20-26 27-54 55-316

6 8 21 31 36 39 50

317-367 368-369 370-393 394 395-408 409-441

128 142 144 161 161 165

REFERENCES CITED Where possible, in the description for each lot we supply one or more numbers in reference to acknowledged publications in the field. References used in this catalog include the following: CT = Calicó-Trigo’s Numismática española, 9th edition (1998).

Fr = Friedberg’s Gold Coins of the World, 7th edition (2003).

KM = Krause-Mishler’s Standard Catalog of World Coins, various editions, including Spain, Portugal and the New World.

Onza = Calicó’s La Onza (2004).

RL = Restrepo and Lasser’s books on Colombian cobs, including Macuquinas de Colombia (1998), The Cob Coinage of Colombia (2000), and Monedas de Colombia (2006).

S = Sedwick’s The Practical Book of Cobs, 4th edition (2007).

Sp = Spink’s (formerly Seaby’s) Coins of England and the United Kingdom, 41st edition (2006).

COIN GRADING From best to worst, UNC is Uncirculated, AU is Almost Uncirculated, XF is Extra Fine, VF is Very Fine, F is Fine, VG is Very Good, and G is Good, with Fair and Poor below that. (“About” or “A” means the coin is just shy of the indicated grade. “Mint State” refers to lustrous, choice UNC coins.) We do not always assign numismatic grades to sea-salvage and land-burial coins, which were usually Uncirculated (or close to it) before the effects of corrosion and/or cleaning. Corrosion is usually assessed, from least to most, as follows: none, minimal, light, moderate, and heavy.

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TERMS AND CONDITIONS 1)

This is a traditional “mail bid” auction, meaning that all items will be sold to the highest bidder and bids will be accepted up to the closing date and time. Bids may be submitted by mail, phone, fax, email, or in person. We cannot be responsible for errors in your bidding or the loss or delay of any bids that do not reach us by the closing date and time. All bids submitted will be considered in U.S. dollars.

2)

Bidders are advised to make full use of the MIN/MAX BID system. In case of tie MAXIMUM bids, we do NOT automatically award the lot to the earlier bidder but instead award the lot to the bidder with the higher MINIMUM bid. If there is no tie, then the high bidder will win the lot at his MINIMUM bid OR approximately 10% above the next-highest MAXIMUM bid. Any bidder who does not supply a MINIMUM bid will NOT have his winning bid reduced to 10% above the next-highest MAXIMUM bid. Please see the explanation of our MIN/MAX BID system on the back of the bid sheet.

3)

A winning bid is considered a formal contract between the buyer and the consignor. The winning bidder, by submitting his bid, agrees to purchase the lot(s) he/she has won and further agrees to pay the Buyer’s Premium and any shipping, sales tax, customs duties, or other surcharges involved in delivering the lot(s) to the buyer. Winning bidders will be notified immediately after the sale with an invoice reflecting the total amount due and shall remit payment within 10 business days of notification. If payment has not been received after 10 days, then we reserve the right to re-open the lots to second- and third- (etc.) highest bidders. Title to each lot does not pass until the item is paid for in full.

4)

Unless other arrangements are made, all lots will be sent to winning bidders via U.S. Mail when the invoice has been paid in full. All domestic shipments will carry full insurance, but foreign shipments are made at the buyer’s risk (insurance available in some cases).

5)

A Buyer’s Premium of 20% will be added to the winning bid for the total purchase price before any applicable tax or surcharges. Winning bidders who pay by cash, check, money order, wire transfer or direct deposit are eligible for a reduction of the Buyer’s Premium by 5%. Winning bidders who pay by Visa/MC (not through PayPal) are eligible for a reduction of the Buyer’s Premium by 2%.

6)

Payment is accepted by cash, check, money order, wire transfer, direct deposit, PayPal, and Visa/MC. Note that payments can be made by American Express and Discover and other credit cards through PayPal. All payments by check or money order should be payable to Daniel Frank Sedwick. Payments by direct deposit or wire transfer should be made to the Daniel Frank Sedwick Auction Escrow Account, Bank of America account #008981014683, ABA #026009593, SWIFT code BOFAUS6S. Payments by PayPal should be made to aworkman@tampabay.rr.com. All payments shall be in U.S. dollars drawn on a U.S. bank.

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New bidders who do not have established credit with us must supply references and/or a 25% deposit. Visa/ MC is acceptable in lieu of a deposit. If your bids are unsuccessful, your deposit will be refunded, but if you are a winning bidder, your deposit will be applied to your purchase.

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You may opt for “either/or” bids and/or total budgets on your bid sheet. “Either/or” bids are used when you want just one (or whatever number you specify) of two or more lots but it does not matter which of those lots you get. Total budgets are used when you are bidding on more lots than you expect to win and do not wish to spend more than a specified amount. Mail-bid sales are uniquely flexible for these situations.

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9)

Most lots are unreserved, but some lots do have a reserve or minimum bid that the consignor will allow.

Any reserve will be at or below the stated low estimate. All estimates are given in U.S. dollars.

10)

Even when there is not a reserve, bidders are advised that Daniel Frank Sedwick is an active dealer in this material and will buy any and all items at a wholesale level; therefore any bids below reasonable wholesale will not be considered. Furthermore we reserve the right to reject any bids that we have reason to believe are not submitted in good faith.

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All items are guaranteed genuine and as described. Returns will NOT be accepted UNLESS there was an error in the listing. (Note that grading and estimation of corrosion are subjective and differences of opinion thereof cannot be considered errors.) Any returns must be agreed upon BEFORE shipment back to us, and any applicable refunds will be made immediately upon receipt of the returned item(s). All returns must be submitted back to us in unaltered condition no later than 30 days after the sale, as that is generally when consignors are paid. Any refunds for returns paid for by credit card or PayPal will be subject to a 3% (Visa/ MC) or 5% (PayPal) return fee.

12)

Lots may be inspected at our bank vault in Winter Park by appointment only during our office hours of Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. High-quality photos of all items are viewable on our website 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

13)

Florida sales tax (6% to 7.5%, depending on your county) will be added to all purchases of items that are NOT coins or bullion. Coins and bullion are also taxed if the total coin and/or bullion purchase is less than $500.

14)

Certain items in this sale (as noted above their listings) are subject to a $5 handling fee PER LOT to account for the extra work involved in packaging and storing these items.

15)

This auction is conducted in accordance with the auction laws of the State of Florida. The licensed auctioneer is Daniel Frank Sedwick, AU#3635, AB#2592.

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DANIEL FRANK SEDWICK presents…

TREASURE AUCTION #1 A MAIL-BID SALE

WELCOME to our first-ever Treasure Auction! For over 20 years now we Sedwicks have been bringing you genuine treasure coins and artifacts for sale at reasonable prices, but increasingly our suppliers have gone to auction instead, making use of attractive promotional offers from mega-auction houses. When it comes down to it, however, those big companies really just don’t know treasure and provide little in the way of customer service.

How often have you bid in their sales, won the lot, and then come to find out that they lost your paperwork and sent the coin back to the consignor? (It’s happened to me!) Or how about when you actually do get the lot you win, but the certificate is missing? Worse still, did you know that fake treasure coins and ingots have been presented in two major auctions so far this year? This field requires a specialist!

Consignors and potential bidders have responded tremendously to the idea of Treasure Auctions, as you can see from the 400+ lots and well over a half million dollars in value in this auction alone. But this is just a start. We hope to bring you these Treasure Auctions reliably twice a year, and eventually we may even be able to present them in a live format.

This catalog is being presented simultaneously on our website as well. At present we are not able to offer secure bid-sheet submission or real-time high-bid updates through our website, but we intend to do so in subsequent auctions as our manpower and resources increase. You are welcome to phone in your bids and inquire as to whether you are currently the high bidder, but please understand that the closer to the closing time, the less chance you have of getting through by phone, which is why we recommend email or fax instead. If you send your bids by postal mail, please call to confirm that we have received them.

Please note that our auctions make use of the concept of Minimum/Maximum bids. In other words, all bidders are asked to supply TWO bids: their maximum bid PLUS the lowest bid they think might win the lot. If there is a tie on your Maximum, you will win the lot if your Minimum is above your competitor’s. If you think you might get the lot cheaply, but still want to buy it if it goes high, then give us a big spread, say $100 Minimum and $1000 Maximum.

If, on the other hand, you want to be more sure that you will win it, give us a smaller spread, like $900 minimum and $1000 Maximum. If there is no tie, then you will win the lot for approximately 10% over your Minimum OR the next higher Maximum, whichever is higher. But be forewarned: If you do NOT give a Minimum bid, then your Maximum will be considered to be your Minimum as well, and therefore you will not benefit from reduction, although you do have the best chance to win in case of a tie. Only when there is a tie on BOTH the Minimum and Maximum bids will the lot be awarded to the earlier bidder.

Don’t be intimated: Anyone who has done business with us before knows that we are very accommodating and helpful and will always do our best to assist. We think the auction concept is thrilling and should be a fun and rewarding experience for everyone involved!

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BIOGRAPHIES The Joseph R. Lasser Collection of Colombian Cobs

A former New York Stock Exchange partner and decorated WWII veteran, Joe Lasser has been a coin collector for a full 70 years. Prior to attending college he assembled a collection of U.S. commemorative half dollars and foreign paper money that was liquidated for college tuition. When he resumed collecting in 1970, he focused on American colonial paper money and (within a short time) the coins that circulated in colonial America. Joe has contributed to the field of numismatics via dozens of articles in various coin publications, co-authored The Cob Coinage of Colombia (2002) with Jorge Restrepo, and provided a strong scholastic resource to our hobby by gifting his numismatic materials to the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and serving on the Board of Directors of the American Numismatic Society. He has also provided expertise to several major standard catalogs in his areas of interest and lectured on the coins that circulated in the American colonial period.

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The Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins

Bruce Prior, of New South Wales, Australia, started collecting shipwreck coins after spending nearly 30 years scuba diving all over the South Pacific. Most of his diving (salvaging items where permission was granted) was centered around WWII wrecks and pre- and post-WWII commercial shipping. Bruce was fortunate enough to be able to dive shipwreck sites along the east and west coasts of Australia, where the earliest wrecks in this part of the world can be found. Bruce started collecting coins from these wrecks, especially from the Gilt Dragon, which formed the core of his collection. About 10 years ago Bruce was lucky enough to visit the U.S., in particular the state of Florida, and that is where his interests in shipwreck coinage took off, as he was given a Daniel Frank Sedwick catalog of shipwreck coins. From that moment onwards his interests changed dramatically to include mostly coins from wrecks in U.S. waters, and thanks to Daniel’s expert guidance and knowledge he was able to put together a fantastic and varied collection. Unfortunately all good things come to an end, and due to family commitments Bruce put his coins up for sale, with most of the Australian-wreck coins selling in his own country.

Bruce hopes that whoever buys his coins gets the same pleasure and sense of adventure out of owning them as he did, as “each and every one of these coins have a story to tell.”

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SHIPWRECK (AND HOARD) HISTORIES Throughout this catalog we offer coins and artifacts from dozens of different shipwrecks—“treasure” in the truest sense! While we did not want to break up the flow of the catalog in the listings, we did want to offer a bit of history behind each wreck concerned, so we present these histories here on the following pages in chronological order.

Please feel free to contact us for more information about any of these wrecks or about shipwrecks or treasure in general.

“Tumbaga wreck,” sunk ca. 1528 off Grand Bahama Island Before there were coins, before there were Spanish Treasure Fleets, and even before there were any kind of colonies in the Spanish Main, the conquistador Hernán Cortés and his men discovered treasure in the form of native-American gold and silver artifacts. While it is a shame that these artifacts no longer exist, at least their one-time presence is confirmed by what have become known as “tumbaga” bars: a group of over 200 silver and gold ingots discovered in the remains of an unidentified ca.-1528 shipwreck off Grand Bahama Island. The artifacts that composed these bars were apparently lumped together in two piles—one for gold-colored artifacts and the other for silver-colored artifacts—with great amounts of impurities (predominantly copper) in each pile. The piles were then melted as much as possible (not thoroughly) and poured into crude molds that in some cases were no more than depressions in the sand. The resulting ingots, called “tumbaga” bars, were then stamped with four types of markings: 1. Assayer, many in the form of BV with “~” over the B and “o” over the V, signifying Bernardino Vasquez, documented as personal assayer to Cortés himself.

2. Fineness, marked in Roman numerals as a percentage of 2400.

3. Serial number, usually in the form of the letter R followed by Roman numerals.

4. Tax stamp, part of a circular seal whose legend (pieced together) reads CAROLVS QVINTVS IMPERATOR for Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire.

In 1995 we had the great fortune to be offered 133 silver bars from this wreck, which divers had excavated in 1992.

These 133 silver bars represented a corner on the market, as the rest of the bars found (including all the gold bars) were either sold at auction or doled out to company officials and contractors well before we made our large purchase.

Each bar is described in detail in the 1993 book Tumbaga Silver for Emperor Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire,

by Douglas Armstrong, a professional conservator hired by the salvage company to clean and preserve all the silver “tumbaga” bars.

“Golden Fleece wreck,” sunk ca. 1550 in the northern Caribbean This wreck was nicknamed for a royal stamping (“Golden Fleece”) on several of the gold “finger” bars (ingots) it yielded. Except for a handful of extremely rare Santo Domingo pieces, all the coins from this wreck were Mexican CarlosJuana silver coins (all assayers prior to S), including several rarities, the most important being three specimens of the Rincón “Early Series” 8 reales of 1538, the very first 8 reales ever struck in the New World (the best of which achieved a record in 2006 for the highest amount ever paid at auction for a Spanish colonial coin: $373,750!). To date the finders of the wreck have not identified the wreck or disclosed its exact location, but they have gone on record as stating it was in international waters in the northern Caribbean. Though it was a relatively small find (a few thousand coins at most), it has been the primary source for Mexican Carlos-Juana coins on the market since the mid-1990s.

Perhaps more impressive than the coins from this wreck are the few dozen gold and silver ingots in has yielded, all of which have entered the market exclusively through Daniel Frank Sedwick. The varying purities of these bars are reminiscent of the “tumbaga” bars (see above), although the later gold ingots do seem to have been cast in somewhat standard shapes (“fingers”) and sizes. The silver ingots from this wreck, popularly known as “splashes,” were simply poured onto the ground, leaving a round, flat mound of silver that was subsequently stamped with a tax stamp (in the form of a crowned C for King Charles I) and/or a fineness in the usual block Roman numerals in parts per 2400, much like the karat system we use today. The gold ingots also show a fineness marking (but no tax stamps or other markings) in parts per 24, with a dot being a quarter karat. Silver or gold, many of the ingots from this wreck were cut into two or more parts, presumably to divide into separate accounts. We believe these “Golden Fleece wreck” ingots are the only known examples made in the

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colonies between the “tumbaga” period of the 1520s and the specimens found on the 1554 Fleet at Padre Island, Texas (note, in fact, that the very few gold bars recovered from the Texas wrecks were marked with the same punches as some of the gold bars from this slightly later wreck).

Santiago, sunk in 1585 off the Bassas da India atoll between Mozambique and Madagascar, east of Africa This relatively obscure wreck sank on a reef at night due to pilot error, following which the captain and crew absconded with the one useable lifeboat, leaving some 400 or more passengers to perish on the wreck. The Santiago was found again and salvaged in the late 1970s by Ernest Erich Klaar and eventually yielded thousands of silver cobs (marketed in the 1980s) of both Spain and Spanish America (particularly the mints of Seville and Mexico). This shipwreck is also numismatically notable as one of only two wrecks (along with the Atocha of 1622) to have produced the extremely rare cobs of the Panama mint.

“Rill Cove wreck,” sunk ca. 1618 off the southwest coast of England (also “Lizard silver wreck,” both nicknames pertaining to the location of the wreck off the coast of Cornwall) The name and nationality of the ship are unknown and even the date of sinking is not certain—all we do know is that records of its local salvage began in 1618. After re-discovery of the wreck by Ken Simpson and Mike Hall in 1975, eventually some 3,000 coins were recovered and sold, all silver cobs, mostly Mexican but also from Potosí and Spain. Most of the coins are thin from corrosion but with dark toning on fields to enhance details.

Atocha, sunk in 1622 west of Key West, Florida Arguably the most famous of all Spanish galleons salvaged in our time, the Atocha was the almiranta of the 1622 Fleet, which left Havana several weeks late and soon ran into a hurricane. Eight ships of the 28-ship fleet were lost, wrecked on the reefs between the Dry Tortugas and the Florida Keys or sunk in deeper water (see Santa Margarita and the “Dry Tortugas wreck” below). Five people survived the sinking of the Atocha and were saved by another vessel, but the wreck itself was scattered after another hurricane hit the site exactly one month later, so the Spanish were never able to salvage what was one of the richest galleons ever to sail.

The cargo of the Atocha did not see light again until 1971 when the first coins were found by the now-famous salvager Mel Fisher and his divers, who recovered the bulk of the treasure in 1985 and thereby unleashed the largest supply of silver cobs and ingots the market has ever seen. Well over 100,000 shield-type cobs were found in all denominations above the half real, the great majority of them from Potosí, as were also the approximately 1,000 silver ingots (most the size of bread loaves). A handful of gold cobs (1 and 2 escudos only) were also recovered, mostly from mainland Spanish mints but also a few from Colombia—officially the first gold coins ever struck in the New World. The Atocha was also the source for most (if not all) of the first silver cobs struck in Colombia, as well as a few early coins from Mexico, Lima and Spain, and even Panama. Even more significant were the many gold ingots, jewelry items, emeralds and other artifacts.

Because of Mel Fisher’s huge publicity, and because much of the treasure was distributed to investors at high ratios compared to their investment amounts, the coins from the Atocha have always sold for much more—anywhere from two times to ten times—than their non-salvage counterparts, even in the numismatic market. (The “glamour market” in tourist areas, by contrast, elevates these coins to as much as twenty times their base numismatic value!) Individually numbered certificates with photos of each coin are critical to the retention of an Atocha coin’s higher value. Accompanying barcodetags with the coins also make it possible to replace lost certificates through a database system at the Fisher operations in Key West. Each certificate (with some exceptions) also specifies the coin’s Grade, from 1 (highest) to 4 (lowest), a highly subjective evaluation of corrosive damage and overall quality. Most Atocha silver coins are also recognizable by their shiny brightness, the result of a controversial cleaning and polishing process catering more to jewelry demand than to serious numismatists.

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Santa Margarita, sunk in 1622 west of Key West, Florida From the same hurricane-stricken 1622 Fleet as the Atocha (above), the Santa Margarita sank on a reef within sight of the Atocha and was found in 1626 by Spanish salvagers, who recovered only roughly half its treasure. The other half was found by Mel Fisher and company in 1980. Margarita’s treasures were similar to those found on the Atocha, yet with fewer coins in comparatively worse condition overall (yet not as harshly cleaned). As with Atocha coins, original Fisher certificates are critical to the premium value for these coins, which is on par with Atocha coins.

“Dry Tortugas wreck,” sunk ca. 1622 off the Dry Tortugas, west of Key West, Florida Presumably a sister-ship to the Atocha and Santa Margarita of the 1622 Fleet (above), discovered in 1989 and reworked in 1991 by Seahawk Deep Ocean Technology, among whose finds were numerous gold bars (but no silver bars) and about 1,200 heavily eroded silver cobs (similar in composition to the Atocha finds), all picked from the ocean floor by a robot. Cannons and other artifacts expected on a typical galleon, however, were suspiciously absent, and a fraudulent stock offering and corporate shenanigans hindered promotion of the finds. The bulk of the treasure was then sold to one store/museum in Key West that later went bankrupt. Years later, by order of a bankruptcy court, it all turned up at auction, where nearly all of the treasure was re-purchased by some of the former principals of Seahawk for a new museum.

Batavia, sunk in 1629 off Western Australia The story of the Batavia is a shockingly sordid tale of mutiny and murder on the coast of a continent that had not yet been settled by Europeans. The Batavia was a Dutch East Indiaman in the company of six other ships bound for the East Indies late in 1628, and she was carrying twelve chests of silver coins. Just before a proposed mutiny was to take place on board the Batavia, which had long since become separated from the other ships, the Batavia suddenly struck a reef off the islands known as the Abrolhos in the night of June 4, 1629, due to a swifter passage across the Indian Ocean than was expected. While the ship’s commander departed for the colony of Batavia (modern-day Jakarta, Indonesia) to bring assistance, the mutineers took charge of the remaining survivors and systematically murdered most of them before the commander returned several weeks later with help. Soon after, the commander recovered ten of the ship’s chests of coins in addition to some loose coins from a chest that had been already been opened, which left nearly ten thousand coins to be found in our time.

The Batavia was rediscovered in 1963 and full-scale salvage commenced in 1973, under the guidance of the Western Australian Museum. Nearly all the coins were European, but at least four Mexican silver cobs were among the finds.

“Panama hoard,” lost ca. 1629 on the Camino Real trail in Panama In the early 1990s the numismatic market began to hear about a massive find (tens of thousands) of early Potosí cobs (practically all 8 and 4 reales) in fabulous condition—in fact, totally uncorroded but with telltale orange clay on what were otherwise Mint State (or nearly so) surfaces. Soon this hoard took on many different names as the stories emerged: “Camino Real Trail hoard,” “Panama hoard,” and, curiously, “Mule Train hoard” (based on a rumor that the hoard was lost when a mule that was carrying the treasure fell over a cliff). The only thing that we know for certain is that the latest date on the coins in the hoard was 1629, which is when we presume it was lost.

“Mesuno hoard,” lost ca. 1636 in the Magdalena River near Bartolomeo de Honda, Colombia The name of this hoard comes from “El Mesuno,” the local name for a bend in the river where, in 1935, many hundreds of Bogotá cob 2 escudos were found in the riverbank. The latest of the coins, most of which did not show their peripheral dates, was 1636. No one knows how or why the hoard was lost; but it is known that Honda was where freshly struck coins from the Bogotá mint were offloaded from mules and put aboard riverboats to take the coins to Cartagena, on the Caribbean coast, where the coins were loaded onto galleons ultimately headed for Spain. Whether due to the sinking of

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a vessel or not, the “Mesuno Hoard” has been one of the world’s most important sources of gold cobs—basically the only source for Bogotá gold cobs of the early 1630s.

Concepción, sunk in 1641 off the northeast coast of Hispaniola The Concepción was one of the most significant Spanish wrecks of all time, serving the Spanish with a loss of over 100 tons of silver and gold treasure. The almiranta of a 21-ship fleet, the Concepción was already in poor repair when the Europe-bound fleet encountered a storm in September, leaving her disabled and navigating under makeshift sails amid disagreement among its pilots about their location. Weeks later, she grounded on a reef in an area now named the Silver Shoals, just to the east of another shoal known as the Abrojos, which the pilots were trying to avoid. After another storm hit the wrecked ship and the admiral and officers left in the ship’s only longboat, the remaining crew resorted to building rafts from the ship’s timbers. Survivors’ accounts pointed to drowning, starvation and even sharks for the loss of around 300 casualties. In the fallout that ensued, none of the survivors could report the wreck’s location with accuracy, so it sat undisturbed until New England’s William Phipps found it in 1687 and brought home tons of silver and some gold, to the delight of his English backers.

The Concepción was found again in 1978 by Burt Webber, Jr., whose divers recovered some 60,000 silver cobs, mostly Mexican 8 and 4 reales but also some Potosí and rare Colombian cobs (including more from the Cartagena mint than had been found on any other shipwreck). Unlike the Maravillas of just 15 years later, however, the Concepción did not give up any gold cobs in our time, and any significant artifacts found were retained by the government of the Dominican Republic, who oversaw the salvage. The bulk of the silver cobs found on the Concepción were heavily promoted, even in department stores! The site is still being worked from time to time with limited success.

Lastdrager, sunk in 1653 off the Shetland Islands, north of Scotland The Dutch East India Co. flute Lastdrager set sail for Batavia (modern-day Jakarta, Indonesia) in February of 1653, during the first Anglo-Dutch war, which made passage through the English Channel unsafe. The alternate route north around the Shetland Islands proved to be equally dangerous in stormy conditions, which ultimately led to her demise. Only 26 people survived and only two chests of treasure were saved, amounting to a small portion of the total of 37,500 guilders she was carrying. Modern salvage efforts in the early 1970s yielded over 500 coins and some artifacts. The bulk of the treasure is believed to be in the still-missing stern section.

We should note here that our offerings from this wreck are thusly attributed by default. The coins came from a source in Scotland as having been recovered from a wreck off the Shetland Islands that at first he thought was DeLiefde of 1711 (see below). However, there is no evidence of this type of coin (Holy Roman Empire 2/3 thaler) from the latter ship, which is also further removed from the time period when these coins were struck.

Capitana (Jesús María de la Limpia Concepción), sunk in 1654 off Chanduy, Ecuador This wreck was the largest loss ever experienced by the Spanish South Seas (Pacific) Fleet, of which the Jesus María de la Limpia Concepción was the capitana (“captain’s ship,” or lead vessel) in 1654. Official records reported the loss of 3 million pesos of silver (2,212 ingots, 216 chests of coins, and 22 boxes of wrought silver), augmented to a total of as much as 10 million pesos when contraband and private consignments were taken into account. By comparison, the entire annual silver production in Peru at that time was only about 6-7 million pesos!

Obviously overloaded, technically the Capitana sank due to pilot error, which drove the ship onto the reefs south of the peninsula known as Punta Santa Elena, a geographic feature the pilot thought he had cleared. Twenty people died in the disaster. For eight years afterward, Spanish salvagers officially recovered over 3 million pesos of coins and bullion (with probably much more recovered off the record), leaving only an unreachable lower section for divers to find in our time.

Ironically, the main salvager of the Capitana in the 1650s and early 1660s was none other than the ship’s silvermaster, Bernardo de Campos, whose fault it was that the ship was overloaded with contraband in the first place!

The wreck was rediscovered in the mid-1990s and salvaged (completely, according to some) in 1997. After a 50-50 split with the Ecuadorian government in 1998, investors placed most of their half of the more than 5,000 coins recovered up for sale at auction in 1999. Almost exclusively Potosí 8 and 4 reales, the coins were a healthy mix of countermarked issues

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of 1649-1652, transitional issues of 1652, and post-transitional pillars-and-waves cobs of 1653-1654, many in excellent condition and expertly conserved.

As an interesting footnote, the very coins salvaged from the Capitana by the Spanish in 1654 were lost again on the Maravillas wreck of 1656 (see next), and some of those coins salvaged from the Maravillas were lost again in the wreck of the salvage vessel Madama do Brasil off Gorda Cay (Bahamas) in 1657. Furthering Spain’s woes was the destruction of another treasure fleet in 1657 by English marauders (fresh off a victory in the Bay of Cádiz) off Santa Cruz on the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands.

Maravillas, sunk in 1656 off Grand Bahama Island As the almiranta (“admiral’s ship,” or rear guard) of the homebound Spanish fleet in January of 1656, the Nuestra Señora de las Maravillas was officially filled with over five million pesos of treasure (and probably much more in contraband, as was usually the case). That treasure included much of the silver salvaged from the South Seas Fleet’s Capitana of 1654 that wrecked on Chanduy Reef off Ecuador (see above). The ill-fated treasure sank once again when the Maravillas unexpectedly ran into shallow water and was subsequently rammed by one of the other ships of its fleet, forcing the captain to try to ground the Maravillas on a nearby reef on Little Bahama Bank off Grand Bahama Island. In the ensuing chaos, exacerbated by strong winds, most of the 650 people on board the ship died in the night, and the wreckage scattered. Spanish salvagers soon recovered almost half a million pesos of treasure quickly, followed by more recoveries over the next several decades, yet with over half of the official cargo still unfound.

The first re-discovery of the Maravillas in the 20th century was by Robert Marx and his company Seafinders in 1972, whose finds were featured in an auction by Schulman in New York in 1974. Included among the coins in this sale were some previously unknown Cartagena silver cobs of 1655 and countermarked Potosí coinage of 1649-1651 and 1652 Transitionals, in addition to many Mexican silver cobs and a few Bogotá cob 2 escudos. The second big salvage effort on the Maravillas was by Herbert Humphreys and his company Marex in the late 1980s and early 1990s, resulting in two big sales

by Christie’s (London) in 1992 and 1993, featuring many Bogotá cob 2 escudos, in addition to more Mexico and Potosí silver cobs and several important artifacts. The most recent sale of Maravillas finds, presumably from one of the many salvage efforts from the 1970s and 1980s, took place in California in 2005, again with a good quantity of Bogotá cob 2 escudos. The wreck area is still being searched today, but officially the Bahamian government has not granted any leases on the site since the early 1990s. It is possible the bulk of the treasure is still to be found!

Unidentified ca.-1667 wreck off Sicily Unlike most wrecks, this relatively small find (at least for now) of mostly mainland Spanish cobs (but also some Mexican, including some very rare dates) has come to the market through the ancient-coin channels, like so many hoards in and around the Mediterranean. As a result, any information about its identity or exact date and reason for sinking is not forthcoming.

Unidentified ca.-1671 wreck in Seville harbor, Spain The city of Seville is situated on the Guadalquivir River, about 50 miles inland from the ocean port of Cádiz, where treasure from the New World arrived on sea-going galleons. From there the treasure went on to Seville, up the river by boat.

Sometime in 1671 it is believed one of these boats outside Seville sank, or at least its treasure was lost there somehow in the river, for in the mid-1990s a large hoard of obviously salvaged silver cob 8 and 4 reales of Potosi, none dated later than 1671, and mostly in decent condition, began to emerge from markets in Spain without provenance but reportedly found in Seville Harbor during the installation of a fiber-optic cable across the river.

It should be noted that the same type of coins (with characteristics identical to those from the Seville wreck) have been sold in recent years as having come from the “Señorita de Santa Cristina” of 1672 off Cádiz, but we can find no record of this ship or its salvage.

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Consolación (“Isla de Muerto shipwreck”), sunk in 1681 off Santa Clara Island, Ecuador When salvage first began on this wreck in 1997, it was initially believed to be the Santa Cruz and later called El Salvador y San José, sunk in August of 1680; but research by Robert Marx after the main find in subsequent years confirmed its proper name and illuminated its fascinating history.

Intended to be part of the Spanish “South Seas Fleet” of 1681, which left Lima’s port of Callao in April, the Consolación apparently was delayed and ended up traveling alone. At the Gulf of Guayaquil, off modern-day Ecuador, the Consolación encountered English pirates, led by Bartholomew Sharpe, who forced the Spanish galleon to sink on a reef off Santa Clara Island (later nicknamed “Isla de Muerto,” or Dead Man’s Island). Before the pirates could get to the ship, the crew set fire to her and tried to escape to the nearby island without success. Angered by the inability to seize the valuable cargo of the Consolación, Sharpe’s men killed the Spaniards and tried in vain to recover the treasure through the efforts of local fishermen. Spanish attempts after that were also fruitless, so the treasure of the Consolación sat undisturbed until our time.

When vast amounts of silver coins were found in the area starting in the 1990s, eventually under agreement between local entrepreneurs Roberto Aguirre and Carlos Saavedra and the government of Ecuador in 1997, the exact name and history of the wreck were unknown, and about 8,000 of the coins (all Potosí silver cobs) were subsequently sold at auction

by Spink New York in December, 2001, as simply “Treasures from the ‘Isla de Muerto’”. Most of the coins offered were of low quality and poorly preserved but came with individually numbered photo-certificates. Later, after the provenance had been properly researched, and utilizing better conservation methods, a Florida syndicate arranged to have ongoing finds from this wreck permanently encapsulated in hard-plastic holders by the authentication and grading firm ANACS, with the wreck provenance clearly stated inside the “slab”; more recent offerings have bypassed this encapsulation. Ongoing salvage efforts have good reason to be hopeful, as the manifest of the Consolación stated the value of her registered cargo as 146,000 pesos in silver coins in addition to silver and gold ingots, plus an even higher sum in contraband, according to custom.

Joanna, sunk in 1682 off South Africa An English East Indiaman on her way to Surat on the west coast of India, the Joanna separated from her convoy and sank in rough seas on a reef off the southernmost tip of South Africa on June 8, 1682, sending 10 people to their death.

Eventually, 104 survivors reached the Dutch colony of Cape Town, from which a salvage party was soon dispatched. The Joanna’s cargo consisted of 70 chests of silver coins, of which the salvage party reported having recovered only about 28,000 guilders’ worth. In 1982 the wreck was re-discovered by a group of South African divers led by Gavin Clackworthy, who brought up silver ingots (discs) and over 23,000 silver cobs, most of them Mexican 4 and 8 reales of Charles II in generally low grade, but a few showing bold, formerly very rare dates 1679-1681. Over the past two decades these cobs have entered the market from both private dealers and auctions, but always in relatively small quantities at a time. Almost all the coins are in very worn condition, usually thin and nearly featureless, but without the heavy encrustation and pitting that characterize Caribbean finds.

Association, sunk in 1707 off the Scilly Isles, southwest of England The sinking of this ship and four others in a fleet of 21 returning from the Mediterranean was one of the worst British naval disasters of all time. The Association sank on October 22 under stormy conditions after what can only be described as guesswork navigation that led the ships straight onto the rocks of the Scilly Isles, where as many as 2,000 sailors lost their lives as a result. The admiral of the fleet, Sir Cloudisley Shovell, whose ten chests of personal wealth (in addition to several others) were rumored to be aboard the Association, was one of the casualties of the sinking, although legend has it he reached shore alive, only to be murdered there by a local woman for a ring on his finger.

The wrecksite was located in 1967 by British Navy divers, touching off a frenzy of activity on the site for years to come. Cannons and a few coins were raised in the 1960s, but it was not till 1973 that a significant amount of coins were found (8,000 in that year alone). These coins, mostly British silver and gold but also many Spanish and Spanish-American silver cobs, were sold at auction beginning in 1969 and into the early 1970s. The cobs presented an eclectic mix, mostly 8 reales from the 1650s forward (even a “Royal” presentation issue from 1676!), but from nearly all mints (especially Lima and Potosí), some even left in as-found conglomerate form combined with British coins. It is interesting to note that parts of

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this wreck, like others in the area, were flattened hard to the muddy sea floor by huge boulders that still roll around with the currents, making for dangerous and difficult salvage!

DeLiefde, sunk in 1711 off the Shetland Islands, north of Scotland Like the Lastdrager of 1653 mentioned above, the Dutch East India Company ship DeLiefde was avoiding the English Channel (this time because of the War of Spanish Succession) and taking the northern route around Scotland when she struck rocks and sank in rough weather. There was only one survivor: the lookout atop the mast, who was thrown clear onto the shore when the ship hit. It is not known how much treasure was lost, but records do indicate it comprised at least several hundreds of thousands of guilders.

In 1965 the wreck of DeLiefde was discovered and salvaged over the next couple years. Nearly all the coins recovered consisted of Dutch silver ducatoons of various periods and mint-fresh Dutch gold ducats of 1711. Many believe that much more treasure (in particular the ubiquitous Mexican cob 8 reales, which were absent among the 1960s finds) still remains on the wreck of DeLiefde.

1715 Fleet, east coast of Florida The Spanish 1715-Fleet disaster was probably the greatest to befall any of the Spanish treasure fleets in terms of casualties and money, with reports of a loss of 14 million pesos (plus an equal or greater amount in contraband) and as many as 1,000 or more lives. The modern salvage of this fleet, begun in the early 1960s and ongoing today, has been the largest single source of gold cobs ever in the numismatic market, turning former rarities and unknown issues into collectible and popular (albeit still expensive) commodities.

In typical fashion, the 1715 Fleet was a case of overloaded Spanish galleons foundering in a hurricane after delayed departure, but on a larger scale than anything before. The principal elements of the fleet, known as the Nueva España (New Spain, i.e., Mexico) Fleet, had gone to Veracruz in Mexico to deliver mercury (an essential substance in the refining of silver cobs), sell merchandise, and pick up quantities of Mexican-minted bars and cobs. An unfortunate series of complications kept the fleet in Veracruz for two whole years before it could rendezvous in Havana with the vessels of the Tierra Firme (Mainland) Fleet, bearing the Peruvian and Colombian treasure brought from Panama and Cartagena. After still more delays in Havana, what was ultimately a twelve- or thirteen-ship convoy (depending on which account you prefer) did not manage to depart for Spain until July 24, 1715, well into hurricane season.

The trip back to Spain was to be the routine one: up the coast of Florida on the Gulf Stream, which gradually turns outward into and across the Atlantic at about the location where the fleet was lost. On the 30th of July, the fleet encountered a hurricane, driving the ships shoreward. Some of the ships sank in deep water, some broke up in shallower water, and others ran aground close to the beach, while a lone vessel, the tag-along French ship Grifón, sailed onward without incident.

Hundreds of the crews and passengers lost their lives while other hundreds of survivors improvised a camp on shore to await aid from the Spanish fort at St. Augustine, to which a party was sent. Ultimately news of the disaster reached Havana, whence salvage ships were dispatched to the scene.

The Spaniards undertook salvage operations for several years, with the help of Indians, and they recovered nearly half of the vast treasure (at least the registered part), from the holds of ships whose remains rested in water sufficiently shallow for breath-holding divers. Gradually the salvagers enlarged their encampment and built a storehouse on the spit of dune land just behind the beach that bordered a jungle. In 1716 a flotilla of British freebooters under Henry Jennings appeared on the scene, raided the storehouse, and carried off some 350,000 pesos of the treasure to Jamaica. The Spaniards, however, resumed operations until they could salvage no more and quit in 1719. The rest of the treasure remained on the ocean floor until our time.

Modern salvage on the 1715 Fleet began in the late 1950s, when local resident Kip Wagner found a piece of eight on the beach after a hurricane and decided to pursue the source. With the help of a 1774 chart and an army-surplus metal detector, he located the original Spanish salvage camp and unearthed coins and artifacts. Then using a rented airplane to spot the underwater wrecksite from the air and check the location again by boat, Kip found the source of the coins and soon formed a team of divers and associates backed by a salvage permit from the State of Florida. All of this took place over a period of years before it evolved into the Real Eight Company, the origin of whose name is obvious.

To salvage the wreck, the Real Eight divers originally used a dredge and suction apparatus; only later did they adopt the use of a propwash-blower (known as a “mailbox”) developed by their subcontractor Mel Fisher. Eventually they found

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gold jewels, Chinese porcelain, silverware, gold and silver ingots, and as many as 10,000 gold cobs of the Mexico, Peru, and Colombia mints; and, mostly in encrusted clusters, well over 100,000 silver cobs of all denominations.

The salvaged coins were all cobs, both gold (Mexico, Bogotá, Lima, and Cuzco) and silver (mostly Mexico but also some Lima and Potosi), minted primarily between 1711 and 1715, although numerous earlier dates were represented too, some of the dates extending well back into the 1600s. Many of the dates and types of the 1700-1715 period had been either rare or unknown prior to the salvage of the 1715 Fleet. The gold coins, as can be expected, have been generally pristine, as have been some of the silver coins, but most silver cobs from the 1715 Fleet are at least somewhat corroded, some no more than thin, featureless slivers. Every denomination of cob made in silver and gold, with the exception of the quarter real (which was not minted past the very early 1600s), has been found on the 1715 Fleet, as well as several different denominations of round “Royal” presentation issues. Promotions of the coins by Real Eight and others have spanned the decades, in addition to auctions by Henry Christensen (1964); Parke-Bernet Galleries (1967) and Sotheby Parke Bernet (1973); the Schulman Coin and Mint (1972 and 1974); Bowers and Ruddy Galleries (1977); and even the U.S. Customs Service (2003).

The demand for these coins over the years has steadily risen while the supply of new finds has dwindled.

As the salvage operation on the 1715 Fleet reached diminishing returns, some of the associates like Mel Fisher headed for Key West and other areas to search for new wrecks. Do not believe, however, that the 1715-Fleet search is over.

As many as five or six of the twelve or thirteen galleons remain undiscovered, search areas are still leased from the state, and even the old wreck sites continue to relinquish a few coins to an insatiable numismatic market. Even the beaches themselves yield fabulous finds (one gold “Royal” 8 escudos—a six-figure bonanza in our day—was found on the beach by a metal detectorist in 1989), especially after direct-hit hurricanes like Frances and Jeanne, which devastated the treasure beaches in rapid succession in the summer of 2004. Much of the finds stays in the hands of locals throughout the State of Florida—divers, beachcombers, and old-time collectors who love their cobs and sell only when they must. The one collector that never sells is also the one with the largest collection of them all—the museum of the State of Florida. Spain lost it all to America, whence it came.

Despite a wealth of publications pertaining to the 1715 Fleet with names of the ships and the known locations of some of the wrecks, there is no universal agreement as to the identity of the vessel at each wrecksite. In many cases, in fact, it is possible that separate wrecksites represent different parts of the same ship. As a result, salvagers over the decades have resorted to nicknames for the sites based on landmarks, local individuals, and even features from the wrecks themselves, such as (from north to south): “Pines” (Sebastian), “Cabin” (Wabasso), “Cannon” (Wabasso), “Corrigan’s” (Vero Beach), “Rio Mar” (Vero Beach), “Sandy Point” (Vero Beach), “Wedge” (Fort Pierce), and “Colored Beach” (Fort Pierce). (Case in point: In this very catalog you will see items alternately certified as from the “Corrigans site” and the “Regla site,” which are one and the same.) Traditionally the range of sites extends from south of Fort Pierce up to just south of Melbourne in the north, but rumors of 1715-Fleet finds as far north as Cape Canaveral, New Smyrna Beach and even Fernandina Beach (near Jacksonville) may have merit. Regardless of the exact site of origin, a great majority of the coins are sold simply as “1715 Fleet.”

Guadalupe and Tolosa, sunk in 1724 off the Dominican Republic Inbound from Spain and often referred to as the “quicksilver galleons,” these two ships were carrying a cargo of 400 tons of mercury, a critical element in the silver- and gold-refining process in Mexico, where these ships were headed. In late August the ships were blown by a hurricane into Samaná Bay on the northeast coast of what is now the Dominican Republic and wrecked there in relatively close proximity to each other (about 7½ miles), which is why their names are intermingled today. Well over 500 people died in the tragedy. The wrecks were discovered and salvaged in the late 1970s and yielded many earthenware olive jars and other artifacts in addition to the mercury. In 2005 it became known that the 1970s salvage also turned up a small group of gold coins (including thirteen cobs from the mints of Bogotá, Cuzco, Lima, and Mexico), which were auctioned that same year. The present auction represents the first time any silver coins (presumably from the same salvage in the 1970s) from these wrecks have ever been sold publicly.

Akerendam, sunk in 1725 off Norway Separated from her two companion vessels in a heavy storm, the East Indiaman Akerendam foundered off the northern point of Runde Island off the west coast of Norway on March 8, with no survivors among the 200 people on board.

Throughout the next several months, five of the 19 chests of coins aboard the Akerendam were recovered, and one of those

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five had opened up, scattering coins over the wrecksite. No more was found, and the site was forgotten until Norwegian amateur divers rediscovered it in 1972 and brought up almost 40,000 gold and silver coins, with another 16,000 or so found the next year. Ultimately the coins were split between the divers and the Norwegian and Dutch governments, and the divers’ portion was offered as a whole at auction in 1978, following which the coins were largely assembled into leather-bound promotional sets (each consisting of up to 23 silver coins and one gold coin). In total, over 10,000 New World silver cobs were found (no gold cobs), nearly all Mexican, in average condition (but typically crude strikes).

Chameau, sunk in 1725 off Nova Scotia, Canada A French transport ship on her way from France to pay colonial troops in Canada, Le Chameau encountered a hurricane and hit rocks in Kelpy Cove off Port Nova Island, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, toward the end of August in 1725.

There were no survivors. In 1965 the wreck was rediscovered and salvaged, with the finds selling at auction in December of 1971. Typically the silver coins from this wreck (all French ecus, or dollar-sized coins) come very heavily corroded, but the gold coins (French Louis d’or) are pristine.

1733 Fleet, Florida Keys Much like the 1715-Fleet disaster above, the 1733 Fleet was another entire Spanish convoy (except for one ship) lost in a hurricane off Florida. The lesser severity of the 1733 hurricane (which struck the fleet on July 15) and the shallowness of the wrecksites in the Keys, however, made for many survivors and even left four ships in good enough condition to be refloated and sent back to Havana. A very successful salvage effort by the Spanish soon commenced, bringing up even more than the 12 million pesos of precious cargo on the Fleet’s manifest (thanks to the usual contraband).

The wrecks themselves are spread across 80 miles, from north of Key Largo down to south of Duck Key, and include the following galleons (but note there is not universal agreement as to which wrecksite pertains to each galleon, and also note that each name is a contemporaneous abbreviation or nickname): El Pópulo, El Infante, San José, El Rubí (the capitana, or lead vessel of the fleet), Chávez, Herrera, Tres Puentes, San Pedro, El Terri (also spelled Lerri or Herri), San Francisco, El Gallo Indiano (the almiranta, or rear guard of the fleet), Las Angustias, El Sueco de Arizón, San Fernando, and San Ignacio. This last ship, San Ignacio, is believed to be the source of many silver coins (and even some gold coins) found in a reef area off Deer Key known as “Coffins Patch,” the southwesternmost of all the 1733-Fleet wrecksites. In addition, many other related sites are known, mostly the wrecks of tag-along ships that accompanied the fleet proper.

The first and arguably most famous of the wrecks of the 1733 Fleet to be located in modern times was the Capitana El Rubí, which was discovered in 1948 and salvaged principally in the 1950s by Art McKee, whose Sunken Treasure Museum on Plantation Key housed his finds for all to see. Throughout the next several decades, however, the wrecksites in the Keys became a virtual free-for-all, with many disputes and confrontations, until the government created the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary in 1990. The removal of artifacts from any of the sites is prohibited today.

In contrast to the 1715 Fleet, and because of the extensive Spanish salvage in the 1730s, the finds by modern divers have been modest, especially in gold coins, of which there are far more fakes on the market than genuine specimens!

Nevertheless, the 1733 Fleet has been a significant source for some of the rare Mexican milled “pillar dollars” of 1732-1733 as well as the transitional “klippe”-type coins of 1733.

Vliegenthart, sunk in 1735 off Zeeland, the Netherlands The East Indiaman Vliegenthart (“Flying Hart” in Dutch) had just departed Rammekens for the East Indies when the deadly combination of a northeast gale, a spring tide and pilot error sent her into a sand bank behind her sister-ship Anna Catharina. The latter ship broke apart in the storm while the Vliegenthart, damaged and firing her cannons in distress, slipped off the bank and sank in 10 fathoms of water. All hands on both ships were lost.

Contemporaneous salvage under contract with the Dutch East India Company was unsuccessful, but it did provide a piece of evidence—a secret map—that did not emerge from obscurity until 1977. Stemming from that, divers under the former London attorney Rex Cowan discovered the wreck in 1981, and in 1983 they found their first coins, one of three chests of Mexican silver and Dutch gold coins (totaling 67,000 guilders or dollar-sized units) for the East India trade aboard the Vliegenthart. The second chest was smashed on the seabed and its contents partially salvaged, while the third chest,

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intact like the first, came up in 1992. The divers also recovered several smaller boxes of large Dutch silver coins known as “ducatoons,” illegally exported and therefore contraband. Among the silver coins found were thousands of Mexican cobs, predominantly 8 reales, many with clear dates in the early 1730s and in excellent condition.

Rooswijk, sunk in 1739 off southeast England Off the southeastern tip of England, just north of the Straits of Dover, the sea hides a most unusual feature known as the Goodwin Sands, where sandbanks appear and disappear unpredictably and move with the tides. Many ships over the centuries have sunk here and silted over, and occasionally one of the wrecks will surface and be discovered. Such is the case with the Rooswijk, a Dutch East Indiaman that foundered on the Goodwin Sands in a storm on December 19, 1739, with all hands and 30 chests of treasure, virtually gone without a trace.

By chance in December, 2004, the sands that had swallowed the wreck of the Rooswijk parted and allowed diver Ken Welling to retrieve two complete chests and hundreds of silver bars. Operating in secrecy, salvage continued in 2005 under the direction of Rex Cowan and in agreement with the Dutch and British governments and is ongoing today. So far, several hundred Mexican silver cobs of the 1720s and early 1730s and transitional “klippes” of 1733-1734, as well as many more hundreds of “pillar dollars” and a smattering of cobs from other mints, have hit the market from this wreck, mostly through auction.

DeVisch, sunk in 1740 off South Africa This relatively obscure wreck has come to light again recently because she was in the same fleet as the Rooswijk of 1739 (see above), although DeVisch was perhaps more fortunate in having at least made it to the Cape of Good Hope (specifically Table Bay) before she sank! Only one man was lost in the disaster, and her cargo was partially saved. Dense kelp, however, kept divers from reaching the wreck until our time, in which some Dutch silver “rider” ducatoons of 1730 were recovered.

Hollandia, sunk in 1743 off the Scilly Isles, southwest of England Blown off course on her way to the East Indies, the Hollandia struck Gunner Rock and sank in about 110 feet of water about 1½ miles east of it on July 13, 1743. There were no survivors.

The first sign of the wreck came in 1971, when divers under Rex Cowan located the wrecksite and within a couple years salvaged over 35,000 silver coins among the nearly 130,000 guilders (dollar-sized units) recorded to be on board the Hollandia. A great majority of the coins were Mexican “pillar dollars,” but there were also some silver cobs, including the scarce Mexican transitional “klippes” of 1733-1734 and a few Guatemala cobs, in mixed condition.

Reijgersdaal, sunk in 1747 off South Africa More popularly known in the U.S. as Reygersdahl, this typical East Indiaman was carrying eight chests of silver coins (nearly 30,000 coins) when she sank on October 25, 1747, between Robben and Dassen Islands. After 4½ months at sea, the crew had anchored there to fetch rock rabbits (“dassies,” for which Dassen Island was named) and other fresh food to relieve massive illness on board the ship, on which some 125 had died and 83 were incapacitated out of 297 people; but in the face of a gale, the anchor-line snapped and the ship foundered on rocks. Only 20 people survived the sinking, and only one incomplete chest of coins was recovered. The area was deemed too dangerous to attempt contemporaneous salvage.

Beginning in 1979, modern salvage-divers on the wrecksite recovered thousands of coins (as many as 15,000 by the early 1980s, when protective legislation was enacted in South Africa), mostly in near pristine condition, which have been sold in various auctions and private offerings ever since. A great majority of the coins from this wreck are Mexican “pillar dollars” (many in excellent condition), but it also yielded a few hundred New World silver cobs, including Guatemala cobs, which are rarely seen from shipwrecks.

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Dodington, sunk in 1755 off Port Elizabeth, South Africa This shipwreck presents an amazing tale of survival and buried treasure, with a modern twist! Following the customary East India route, the Dodington outpaced her consorts and therefore was alone when her pilot followed an erroneous chart too closely and in the middle of the night she suddenly struck rocks and sank off present-day Bird Island off the east coast of South Africa. Of 270 people on board, 23 made it to the island, where they subsisted mostly on seagull eggs for over seven months while the ship’s carpenter crafted a rescue vessel. Meanwhile, at least a couple of the 10 chests of silver coins and the one chest of wrought silver on board the ship were recovered and buried, and the fate of each of those chests is not thoroughly known. There was also a chest of gold coins on behalf of the English military hero Lord Clive—more about that later. The survivors set off for Delagoa (Mozambique) and left behind an island that later became known for treasurehunters and ghost stories.

In the summer of 1977 the wreck of the Dodington was discovered by South African divers, who proceeded to bring up cannon and coins…but no gold. In the early to mid-1990s the wreck was revisited by another set of divers and yielded more silver coins and a smattering of gold, but nowhere near the 653+ oz. recorded to be in the chest when it was loaded onto the Dodington in 1755. What is believed to be the actual Clive’s gold (by composition and total weight) was supposedly recovered a few years later in a different area entirely, reportedly in the wreckage of a pirate ship somewhat further along the East India route. Nobody knows why Clive’s chest of gold was not on the Dodington site—either it was found by the survivors and buried on Bird Island to be picked up or absconded with later, or it was salvaged and taken away later in the 18th century. Because the link could not be proven entirely, and due to a protracted legal battle with the government of South Africa, this last group of gold coins was sold at auction in 2000 as simply the “Clive of India Treasure.”

The composition of the silver-coin finds from the Dodington was mostly Mexican “pillar dollars” but with a good amount of Potosí and Lima cobs (predominantly smaller denominations) as well, mostly sea-worn and at least moderately corroded, sold through dealers and smaller auctions in the U.S. and Australia. The gold was all Portuguese/Brazilian.

Tilbury, sunk in 1757 off Nova Scotia, Canada In an expedition against the French fortress at Louisbourg, the Tilbury was one of four ships (in a fleet of twenty) that were carrying a total of 34 chests of silver coins when the fleet encountered a hurricane off the southeast coast of Cape Breton. The Tilbury and one of the non-coin-bearing ships, the smaller sloop Ferret, sank in the middle of the night on September 25, 1757. Two hundred eighty of the 400 men on board the Tilbury survived to become French prisoners; the other ship and its crew were lost without a trace.

Famous diver and author Alex Storm (with Adrian Richards) located the bow section of the Tilbury in 1969 on a stretch of coastline known, appropriately enough, as “Tilbury Rocks,” where until the 1980s there was even a cannon from the wreck lying on shore for all to see. In 1986 divers Pierre LeClerc and Gilles Brisebois found what is believed to be the midsection of the ship farther offshore, and these divers recovered several hundred coins, many of which were auctioned in 1989. Most of the coins were silver pillar dollars, but there were also several silver cobs and even at least one gold cob among the finds. The missing stern section of the ship, where the bulk of the treasure was stored, is still to be found.

Colossus, sunk in 1798 off the Isles of Scilly, southwest of England The Colossus is not famous for coins but for Greek vases! On board the Colossus, which was one of Lord Nelson’s warships returning from a Mediterranean campaign, was a significant collection of ancient Greek vases owned by Lord Hamilton, whose wife (Nelson’s mistress) had used them as props in her mini-dramas known as “Attitudes.” The ship had made it back from the Mediterranean and was anchored at St. Marys in the Scilly Isles when a strong gale caused her anchor cable to break and she wrecked with the loss of one life on December 10, 1798. The wreck was rediscovered by Roland Morris in the late 1960s and many of the broken vases were reassembled for the British Museum, with many other artifacts displayed in Morris’ own museum until its liquidation in 2002. Another salvager found a new portion of the wreck in 1999, and since 2001 the wreck has been under the protection of the government.

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Athenienne, sunk in 1806 off Sicily The British Naval ship Athenienne was traveling from Gibraltar to Malta when she suddenly struck the fabled “Esquerques” reef some 80 miles from Sicily (Italy) and sank on October 20, 1806. Over a hundred survivors made it to Sicily in longboats, but many more hundreds perished in the wreck. Modern salvage of the Athenienne in the 1970s produced about 4,000 Spanish colonial silver bust-type 8 reales (about 10% of the total believed to be on board), of which only about 500 were more than just featureless slivers.

Admiral Gardner, sunk in 1809 off the southeast coast of England As mentioned above for the Rooswijk wreck of 1739, the Goodwin Sands is a treacherous moving shoal off the southeast coast of England that swallows ships without a trace! Such was the fate of the Admiral Gardner, which was driven by winds onto the Sands on January 25, 1809, along with her sister-ship Britannia. Only one man was lost in the disaster, but the ship was a total loss, taking with her some 54 tons of freshly minted copper coins for the East India trade. It took 175 years for the Sands to shift in such a way that the wreck of the Admiral Gardner began to snag fishing nets and prompted divers to find her in the mid-1980s. Soon barrels of the copper coins were recovered (even an intact barrel, which contained 28,000 coins), and ever since the numismatic market has been awash in these inexpensive and abundant coins.

Fame, sunk in 1822 off South Africa An English wooden merchant vessel en route to England from Madras, India, the Fame succumbed to a heavy swell and found herself driven onto the rocks at Sea Point, near Table Bay, off South Africa, in June of 1822. All but four lives were saved as the ship broke in two and sank. The wreck was rediscovered in 1965 and yielded a wide variety (but not a big quantity) of coinage, not a cargo but most likely from among the personal belongings of the passengers and crew.

Elingamite, sunk in 1902 off New Zealand A casualty of heavy fog, the steamer Elingamite was traveling from Sydney (Australia) to Auckland (New Zealand) when she struck West Island of the “Three Kings Islands” off the northern tip of New Zealand and sank in 150 feet of water on November 9, 1902. Forty-five lives were lost in all. Nearly a quarter of the precious silver cargo on board the Elingamite was salvaged in her own time, leaving most of it for divers to find in the mid- to late 1960s.

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GOLD COBS Featuring selections from the Joseph R. Lasser Collection of Colombian Cobs

COLOMBIA 1.

Bogotá, 2 escudos, (1)635, NRA to left (assayer Anuncibay).

S-B20, RL-M50S-13, KM-4.1

Clear 63 and bottom half of 5 of date, not a rare date but then only about 10% of all Colombian gold cobs show any visible date! The shield and cross are full, the crown nearly so, and the thickness of the planchet is typically variable, with hairline edge-split. Lustrous AU. Probably from the “Mesuno hoard” of ca. 1636.

$1,400-$1,700 2.

Bogotá, 2 escudos, (1)638, NRA to left (assayer Anuncibay).

S-B20, RL-M50S, KM-4.1

Tiny but clear bottom half of 38 of date (rare), bold assayer A, full shield and cross with spots of flatness, AXF. $1,200-$1,500 3.

Bogotá, 2 escudos, 1676, NR to left, assayer to right not visible, clear date.

S-B21a or B21b, RL-M66S-4, KM-14.1

Bold strike with full 16 and bottom half of 76 of date, full but doubled mintmark, choice full shield and cross, bold king’s ordinal II in legend. Just a shame that the right side of the shield is not visible, because in this year (1676) you have Pedro Ramos followed (after his death) by two interim assayers, José de Olmos and Gaspar de los Reyes, whose marks have not been confirmed. In any case the date is extremely rare and this is the only 2E specimen known to us. Toned XF. $1,200-$1,500 4.

Bogotá, 2 escudos, (1)687, assayer sM to right.

S-B22b, RL-M66S-8, KM-14.1

Bold bottom half of 87 of date and clear sM assayer-mark to right of full shield (good full crown and cross too), the cross side a match to a full-date 1687 of assayer G recently sold at auction, with characteristic x’s in the dimples of the tressure. Previously the sM monogram was attributed (by Lasser and Sedwick) to assayer Soto Maldonado of 1677, but now that we have a positive date match to 1687 we can assert that it belongs to newly discovered assayer José Martí of 1687 (6 months only), whose one-known silver coin shows an extended mark of IeMs (it is not known why he used an s unless his name was actually longer, like “Martínes” but abbreviated in the archival records). Extremely rare, one of only three sM specimens known. XF. $1,600-$2,000 31

5.

Bogotá, 2 escudos, (1)68(7), assayer sM to right.

S-B22b, RL-M66S-8, KM-14.1

As above but with last digit of date not visible. Bold and nearly full cross and shield, clear sM and part of king’s name (CA)RO(LVS) in legend. Extremely rare, one of only three sM specimens known. XF+ with flat spots. $1,400-$1,800 6.

Bogotá, 2 escudos, (17)2?/0, no mintmark or assayer-mark (Arce).

S-B24a, RL-M80S, KM-17.2

Choice full cross and shield, the former with characteristic dots in the rings outside the tressure, and the latter with two dots (denomination?) to the right of the shield in lieu of an assayer or mintmark. The tiny 0 of the date is full but is preceded by a mess that looks like a small 2 (over something) following a large 2. Rare, as is any dated Colombian 2 escudos. Lustrous AXF. $1,200-$1,500 7.

Bogotá, 2 escudos, (1)731, F to left, S to right (assayer Sánchez).

S-B25b, RL-M80S, KM-17.2

Great full cross (slightly off-center) and full and bold shield with assayer •S• to right (weak mintmark F to left), bold 73 and most of final 1 of date (the initial 1 not punched into the die), with sediment in crevices and a highgrade (XF+) sea-salvage “look.”

Probably from the 1733 Fleet.

$1,200-$1,500

8.

Bogotá, 2 escudos, 1735, mintmark F to left (assayer Molano).

S-B26, RL-M80S, KM-17.2

Small, thick planchet (6.5 grams) with bold and full cross, weak but certain date, lots of contrast. Toned AVF. $1,000-$1,300 9.

Bogotá, 2 escudos, (1)736, mintmark F to left (assayer Molano).

S-B26, RL-M80S, KM-17.2

Bold 36 of date (rare), with full but tiny cross, full shield, broad planchet that has been slightly rounded from probable jewelry mounting. Fine+. $1,000-$1,300 32

10.

Bogotá, 1 escudo, late Philip V, assayer not visible (style of assayer Molano, 1732-44).

S-B26, RL-M78S-12, KM-22

Cute coin with full cross and shield, high grade (XF) but slightly messy strike. $700-$1,000 11.

Bogotá, 1 escudo, late Philip V or early Ferdinand VI, assayer not visible, struck with 2-escudos dies.

Unique error, the thickness and weight of the coin correct for a 1 escudo but the dies (with full and bold cross and nearly full shield) apparently meant for a 2 escudos. VF. $700-$1,000

MEXICO

12.

Mexico City, 8 escudos, full-date 1714, oMJ, mounted in a heavy, elegant 18K yellow-gold bezel for necklace with two cabochon emeralds flanking the bale at top.

S-M30, KM-57.2, CT-144

Choice AU specimen with full cross and shield and very clear date and mintmark-assayer oMJ, as well as the king’s ordinal V and most of the denomination VIII—in short, everything you could ask for in a Mexican 8E cob, additionally mounted (expensively) for appeal to the jewelry-buying public.

From the 1715 Fleet, with Sedwick certificate.

$9,000-$12,000

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PERU 13.

Lima, 8 escudos, 1712M. S-L28, KM-38.2, CT-93

A choice and lustrous Mint State piece with a very bold and full second date 712 in the legend (usually not so clear), plus (and this is rare) a full king’s name PHILIPPVS! The cross is also quite nice, even if a bit offcenter (hence the full king’s name).

From the 1715 Fleet, with Historic Treasure Management (Jim L. Willsey) photo-certificate (undated).

$7,500-$8,500 14.

Lima, 8 escudos, 1712M. S-L28, KM-38.2, CT-93

Scarce variant with obverse legend rotated 180 degrees (bold king’s ordinal V), nicely centered full cross, full but slightly doubled pillars, attractively round planchet, with very minor contact marks on edge from former mounting in jewelry. XF. From the 1715 Fleet, with Sedwick certificate.

$7,000-$8,000

15.

Lima, 8 escudos, 1716M. S-L28, KM-38.2, CT-99

Dots, dots, and more dots! Typical of its period, this coin shows rows and columns of dots (instead of straight lines) on the pillars side, plus also three dots each outside the quadrants of the cross in addition to the usual border (which is doubled, hence even more dots!), with nice full cross and particularly bold waves, large planchet with full king’s name PHILIPPVS, possibly salvaged. Lustrous AU. $4,750-$5,500

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16.

Lima, 8 escudos, 1749R, struck on a 4E planchet.

S-L31, Onza-570

This unique error is sure to be a controversial coin, so let’s get it straight up front: I believe this coin is genuine, and so does Calicó and a host of other experts! The pillars-side details are odd, but then again 1749 was a year of change and it is not really known what all the 4E punches looked like. The fact is that the weight is right (13.5 grams), the cut is right, and the gold appears to be of the correct fineness—and it was not cast. The pillars and cross are both full and well centered and there is even some old sediment in the crevices. AXF. Plate coin in Calicó’s “Onza” Main Book (1986) and La Onza (2004), and pedigreed to the collection of Carlos A. Elizondo, Jr.

$5,000-$6,000 17.

Cuzco, 2 escudos, 1698M. S-CZ1, KM-28, CT-104

A very lustrous and crisply detailed coin, both sides well centered, but the pillars side a bit crude, on a small and thick “Bogotá cut” planchet, generally a scarce issue. Mint State.

From the 1715 Fleet, with Sedwick certificate.

$7,500-$8,500 18.

Lima, 1 escudo, 1698H. S-CZ1, KM-A27, CT-146

Gorgeous little piece with full castle and cross, bold full •L• and •H• and clear upper half of date 698, some sediment in crevices, hence possibly from the 1715 Fleet, although its Eliasberg pedigree probably pre-dates the Fleet finds, but do note that the State of Florida does not have a specimen so it must be rare. AU. Pedigreed to the Eliasberg collection and accompanied by an NGC photo-certificate (XF-40, which is too low in our opinion). $6,000-$7,000

SPAIN 19.

Seville, 2 escudos, 1619G. CT-33

Although this coin did not come from the Atocha (1622), it probably came from another wreck (for there is lots of sediment in the crevices) and it is identical to the few gold cobs that did come from the Atocha, yet with added rarity for the fact that it shows a clear date of 161 with the tail of the 9, also a full mintmark-assayer S•G to the left of a full but slightly messy shield, good full cross, lots of sediment. Crude AXF. $1,250-$1,750 35

OTHER GOLD COINS BRAZIL

20.

Rio, 6400 reis, José I, 1753.

KM-172.2

Typically high grade (choice AU) but with luster removed, like practically all the gold coins from this find, which has a checkered history: The coins match (in quantity and composition) the few gold coins found on the Dodington wreck of 1755 yet were supposedly found elsewhere, resulting in a legal battle (long since settled) with the government of South Africa for what they viewed as their national treasure, the gold of Lord Clive, the famous British military hero in India.

From the “Clive of India Treasure,” probably from the Dodington (1755).

$1,000-$1,250

CHILE

21.

Santiago, bust 8 escudos, Ferdinand VI, 1751J. CT-62, KM-3, Onza-644

Many Mint State specimens like this one came from the same shipwreck source, but this is one of the very few specimens with fully struck-up details, as most were flat in the centers from a high-relief bust and early-mint conditions that could not reliably strike such coins. Matte finish.

Accompanied by the Sotheby’s (New York) auction catalog The Uruguayan Treasure of the River Plate (March 24-25, 1993), in which these shipwreck coins were first offered.

$4,000-$6,000 36

COLOMBIA 22.

Popayรกn, bust 8 escudos, Charles IV, 1803JF. CT-74, KM-62.2, Onza-1066

Actually a high grade coin (lustrous XF) but with typically weakly struck centers, no other problems. $800-$1,000

GREAT BRITAIN 23.

London, England, guinea, 1785.

Sp-3728, KM-604

High grade coin (XF+) with overly shiny obverse, either from polishing or light gilding, still quite showy and well detailed. $500-$800

MEXICO

24.

Mexico City, bust 8 escudos, Charles IV, 1807TH. CT-57, KM-159

Nice coin of decent grade (XF) and no problems except for a light old scratch across the shoulder. $800-$1,000

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NETHERLANDS 25.

Westfriesland, United Netherlands, ducat, 1729.

KM-93

Typical for the mint, this coin is highly lustrous (and Mint State) but shows some slightly crude strike around the rim.

From the Vliegenthart (1735), with original certificate. From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$550-$750

PERU 26.

Lima, bust 8 escudos, Charles IV, 1805JP. CT-33, KM-101, Onza-1004

Good details but substandard planchet with several minor defects (laminations) as made, also crude edge, slightly off-center strike, and with light scratches in field to right of bust, yet not an ugly coin by any means and a popular issue that is increasingly elusive at reasonable prices. XF. $750-$900

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SHIPWRECK INGOTS Featuring the Fort San Sebastian Treasure of ca. 1560 “Tumbaga wreck,” sunk circa 1528 off Grand Bahama Island 27.

Silver “tumbaga” bar #M-131, 5.09 lb., marked with fineness, serial #, tax stamp, and assayer B~Vo. When we handled the sale of the “tumbaga” silver bars in the 1990s, the first ones to go (quickly) were the small, brick-like bars like this one, which were plentiful at first but have not really graced the market ever since.

Perhaps it is the manageable size and resultantly lower intrinsic value that made them popular, but whatever the reason, they do have the same markings and importance as the bigger bars and should have a similar value. This particular piece measures about 7" x 3" x 1" and shows most of the assayer-mark BV (with the ~ above the B and small o above the V not visible) for Bernardino Vásquez, who was known to be an assayer for Cortés himself. Below the BV are the full letters RC, which appear to be a serial or batch number of some sort, as many of the BV bars had an R followed by a Roman numeral. Below that is the fineness IU9CCCXX (1820/2400 = 75.8% fine), which was interpreted by Douglas Armstrong as IUCCCCXX (1420/2400 = 59.2% fine) in his book, but closer inspection reveals that the first C is actually a symbol that is best transcribed as a 9 (actually a cursive “e” for 500), hence the bar is much purer than originally thought. Also visible above and to the left of the RC marking is part of the circular tax stamp that bore the emperor’s name (CARO)LV(S) around a castle.

The other side of the bar is unmarked, and there is an expected “assayer’s bite” on the bias in one corner. On the whole this bar is somewhat corroded, but the markings are clear and the pitting is not distracting.

With Sedwick photo-certificate #M-131.

$2,500-$3,000

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“Golden Fleece wreck,” sunk ca. 1550 in the Northern Caribbean

28.

Gold “finger” bar #47, 572 grams, 20½K. Nearly full bar, almost 7½” long and cut at one end (the other end rounded), 7/8" wide and 5/8" tall, with fineness marked four times in the form of “X•X” in one box and “•” in another (each X being ten and each • being ¼, hence 20½K), the X’s of a curved type that matches those on the two bars found on the 1554-fleet wrecks off Padre Island, TX. About one-third of the surface of the bar is covered in white coral encrustation (very attractive and desirable to show provenance), with coral also covering the cut end, some red and black staining but not distracting.

With Sedwick certificate.

$16,000-$18,000

29.

Gold “finger” bar #23, 537 grams, 20¼K. Long, cut bar, just over 6" in length, 7/8" wide and ½” tall, with one end cut (chiseled slightly but mostly broken off, with coral all in the crevices, the other end rounded), marked three times with fineness as “XX” in one box and “•” in a separate box, same curved X’s as above that match the 1554-fleet bars, only small bits of coral here and there but enough to show the origin, very neat and attractive.

With Sedwick certificate.

$15,000-$17,000 40

30.

Silver bar #6, 2495 grams, fineness 2230?/2400 ( = 92.9%).

Cut in its time from a much larger and possibly earlier bar, this rectangular piece measures about 5½” x 2¾” x 1½”, with both of the long sides chiseled about 1/3 and broken from there. Both sides of the bar show the meandering ciphers of the fineness, which is not 100% clear but appears to be IIU CC XXX (2230/2400 = 92.9%), and on one side there is also the circular depression of a tax stamp, which again is not clear but should show a crowned C, with a smaller rectangular box (indecipherable) next to it that may be an assayer or foundry mark. Typically, this bar is moderately pitted from corrosion, obscuring the markings, but you can see from the weight that it is quite solid and substantial. A bias-cut “assayer’s bite” in one corner is still recognizable. This piece stands in contrast to most from this wreck, which yielded primarily thin, round “splashes.”

With Sedwick certificate.

$1,500-$2,000

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“Fort San Sebastian shipwreck,” sunk ca. 1560 off Ilha da Moçambique, east of Africa

31.

Gold disc #919, 494 grams.

Perfectly round, 2" in diameter and 5/8" thick, with bits of dark encrustation all over and one cavity with a hard calcium deposit, a very solid and substantial “plug” that had significant value even in its own time. $20,000-$21,000

32.

Gold disc #906, 406 grams.

Another thick and substantial slug like the above, but curiously nine-sided, just under 2" in diameter and varying between ½” and 5/8" thick, with a strangely ear-shaped depression on one side (from a bubble in the metal) and very little encrustation. $17,000-$19,000

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33.

Gold bar #863, 52 grams.

About 1-7/8" long, ½” wide, and 5/16" thick, with rounded ends (like a miniature cigar). $2,500-$3,000 34.

Gold bar #996, 22 grams.

About 1" long, 7/16" wide, and ¼” thick, with rounded ends. $950-$1,150 35.

Gold “drop” #992, 18 grams.

About 13/16" x 5/8" x 3/16", flat and oval-shaped. $750-$900 36.

Gold “drop” #989, 20 grams.

About 1-1/16" x 15/16" x 1/8", very flat and roundish. $800-$950

37.

Gold “drop” #1276, 16 grams.

About 7/8" x ¾” x ¼”, very flat and roundish, with coral encrustation. $600-$800 38.

Gold “drop” #990, 15 grams.

About 13/16" x 5/8" x 3/16", flat and roundish. $600-$800 39.

Gold “drop” #1037, 14 grams.

About ¾” x 11/16" x 3/16", lumpy on one side, otherwise flat and round. $500-$750 43

40.

Gold “drop” #910, 13 grams.

About ¾” x 7/16" x ¼”, very lumpy and nugget-like. $500-$750 41.

Gold “drop” #986, 11 grams.

Like a flattened ball, about 9/16" in diameter and 5/16" thick, with some coral encrustation. $400-$600 42.

Gold “drop” #1036, 11 grams.

About 11/16" x 9/16" x 1/8", flat and somewhat heart-shaped. $400-$600 43.

Gold piece #1015, 9 grams.

About 7/8" x 3/8" x 3/16", long and nugget-like. $400-$600

44.

Natural gold nugget #1006, 10 grams.

Roughly 1" x ¾” x 3/8", very crystalline and with quartz throughout. $400-$600 45.

Gold “drop” #983, 7 grams.

About 11/16" x ½” x 1/8", very flat and roundish. $300-$500 46.

Gold “drop” #1270, 7 grams.

Basically a hemisphere of 3/16" radius with lots of black encrustation on the round side. $300-$500 47.

Gold “drop” #987, 7 grams.

About 9/16" x ½” x 1/8", flat and roundish. $300-$500 44

48.

Gold “drop� #981, 6 grams.

About 9/16" x 3/8" x 3/16", oval-shaped and rounded, with light film of grayish encrustation. $300-$500

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1715 fleet, east coast of Florida 49.

Huge, complete bar, 85.6 troy ounces, marked XX (20 karat, but looks higher), with various stampings of crowned lions, crowned castles, owner/foundry TF/R/ELLO. Largest gold bar ever found on the 1715 fleet! This mammoth ingot is truly a joy to behold, not only for its incomparable mass but also for the veritable tattooing of official markings on its topside, which earned it a place in our own Practical Book of Cobs (2nd and 3rd editions, 1990 and 1995) as well as a full page in the book Spanish Treasure Bars by Craig and Richards (2003). Measuring 6-5/8" x 1-15/16" x 7/8", this bar is marked XX (20 karat, but looks higher), with plenty of markings all over it, including crowned lions, crowned castles, and a monogram for the owner or foundry TF/R/ELLO. (This last marking has also been read as “TRILO,” presumably a contraction of the name of the city Trujillo, but we see definite F, R, and E elements in the second cipher that could make it a monogram for the name F(rancisco) Tello, a documented mint worker who helped set up the unauthorized 1659-1660 minting at Lima, Peru.) There are also two parallel slashes (//) that Craig and Richards speculate was some kind of field test. A cylindrical “assayer’s bite” in one corner is where the assayer who stamped the fineness on the bar took his sample for testing (and to retain as his fee). Several auctions have laid claim to the largest gold bar ever offered from the Fleet (Bowers & Ruddy [1977], 5 lb. 2¼ oz.; Schulman [1972], 5 lb. 4 oz.), which our bar (at over 7 lb.) obviously exceeds, but the fact is that some contraband disks found on the Douglass Beach site are actually heavier. Still our bar can safely be called the largest marked bar, and also the largest bar (as opposed to disk).

Probably from the “Corrigans” site, with Sedwick photo-certificate and letter of provenance quoting Louis Ullian, original Real Eight member.

$60,000-$75,000

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50.

Half-cut disk, 749.5 grams, estimated fineness 20K. A heavy (over 2 troy pounds!) hunk of gold with no markings (hence probably contraband) but of high-grade color, an exact semi-circle cut of a 1¾”-radius disk, ¾” thick in center, lightly scored on the rounded side and broken from there (lots of coral and ocean sediment inside the crevices of the break), with a stress crack on the flat top, the bottom smooth, and high intrinsic value (about $13,665 with gold at $680/oz.).

From the “Corrigans” site.

$20,000-$22,000

51.

Rectangular corner-cut bar, 230 grams, estimated fineness 17K. This partially marked ingot measures roughly 1¾” x 1" x 5/8", with two sides broken from a larger bar and the other two sides smooth and sloped (outside edges of the original bar), the breaks filled with ocean sediment and coral, and the wide top of the bar showing an indecipherable marking with dots and boxes (possibly a fineness marking), our given estimation of fineness by color.

From the “Corrigans” site.

$6,000-$7,500

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1733 fleet, Florida Keys (these photos not actual size)

52.

Silver contraband ingot cut into 3 big pieces (for assaying), 96.25% silver, weights of 2028 grams, 801.5 grams, and 283.5 grams (total of 3113 grams, or about 100 troy ounces).

While it surely was a shame for the salvager to have cut this ingot into three pieces, at least this way you can see that it is silver all the way through, and also the cutting resulted in an assay that proves the fineness is 96.25%.

Best we can tell, this ingot was a very large round patty, or maybe half of one, as it appears that part of it was cut before it was lost, as evidenced by the shape within its very thick shell of orange and gray debris and encrustation (possibly hiding some markings, but we doubt that), which extends up to 2½” from the surface of the ingot. Overall the original ingot appears to have been about 7" in diameter and about 3½” tall; the pieces now are about 6" x 4" x 3½”, 4" x 3½” x 3½”, and 3" x 2" x 2½”. Sold as a lot of three pieces only.

From the Capitana El Rubí site, with assay certificate from Metallurgical, Inc. (Hollywood, FL) from 2004.

$2,500-$3,500

53.

Silver contraband disk, estimated at 96.25% silver, 1036.5 grams (about 33-1/3 troy ounces).

A round patty, about 4" in diameter and 1" tall, with lots and lots of bubble holes all over (looks like the cratered surface of the moon!), no markings but neatly formed, presumably the same fineness as the large ingot above since they were found together, attractively dark silver in color with some scuffing on the flat side (probably to show the bright silver inside), no encrustation.

From the Capitana El Rubí site.

$1,000-$1,500 49

54.

Silver contraband ingot, oval-shaped, completely encased in encrustation, estimated at 96.25% silver (see above), 755 grams (about 24¼ troy ounces).

Who knows what you will find inside the shell of encrustation that completely coats this lemon-shaped ingot?!

Our guess is that it will be yet another contraband ingot like the above (same presumed fineness), and we guarantee it is silver, but there could be markings or some other value-adder. Then again, we feel it would be a shame to remove what took centuries to accumulate on the surface of this piece— a veritable cocoon of oxidation and tiny bits of shell and rock. Measurements are about 4½” x 3" x 1", very solid and stable.

From the Capitana El Rubí site.

$750-$1,250

SHIPWRECK SILVER COINS Featuring selections from the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins and the Princess Louisa (1743) Reference Collection

“Golden Fleece wreck,” sunk ca. 1550 in the Northern Caribbean

55.

Mexico, 4 reales, Charles-Joanna, “Early Series,” assayer Rincón (R in middle below pillars).

S-M1, KM-16

Variety with PLVS in oval panel, Latin R, nice full-flan specimen with only a hint of corrosion, minor doubling on obverse only, darkly toned on fields, popular as the first coinage struck in the New World. $2,000-$2,500 50

56.

Mexico, 4 reales, Charles-Joanna, “Early Series,” assayer Rincón (R in middle below pillars).

S-M1, KM-16

Same variety as above, broad planchet, minimal doubling and corrosion, dark fields, popular as the first coinage struck in the New World. $2,000-$2,500 57.

Mexico, 4 reales, Charles-Joanna, “Early Series,” assayer P to right of shield.

S-M4, KM-17

Variety with dotted circles above and below mintmark and assayer, choice full details on both sides, just a hint of corrosion near edge, dark and nicely contrasting fields. $1,500-$2,000

58.

Mexico, 4 reales, Charles-Joanna, “Early Series,” assayer P to right of shield.

S-M4, KM-17

Variety with plain circles above and below mintmark and assayer, full details but with very minor corrosion, dark fields as above. $1,500-$2,000 59.

Mexico, 4 reales, Charles-Joanna, “Early Series,” assayer G in middle below pillars.

S-M2, KM-17

Nearly full legends and inner details, very minor corrosion, dark fields. $1,500-$2,000

51

60.

Mexico, 2 reales, Charles-Joanna, “Early Series” (assayer Rincón, but not visible).

S-M1, KM-10

Attractive high-grade details (no corrosion) on a very broad planchet with nearly full legends, backwards N in INDIARVM, assayer too weak to see but determined by the rest of the coin. $450-$600 61.

Mexico, 2 reales, Charles-Joanna, “Early Series,” assayer F/P to right of shield.

S-M3, KM-unlisted

Very rare over-assayer (quite clear), bold details all over, but lightly corroded and with a hairline edge-split, no toning. $750-$1,000

62.

Mexico, 4 reales, Charles-Joanna, “Late Series,” assayer R to right of shield.

S-M7, KM-18

Rare assayer, very broad planchet with full legends, nice inner details, with just a hint of corrosion near edge, darkly toned all over. $750-$1,000 63.

Mexico, 4 reales, Charles-Joanna, “Late Series,” assayer A to right of shield.

S-M6, KM-18

Rare assayer, very broad planchet, off-center strike, full details, hint of corrosion near edge, darkly toned all over. $600-$750

52

Santiago, sunk in 1585 off Bassas da India, east of Africa 64.

Seville, Spain, cob 4 reales, Philip II, assayer Gothic P on cross side.

CT-311

Bold mintmark S, clear assayer (looks like a square with a top-left handle), full shield and cross despite light to moderate corrosion. $75-$100

“Rill Cove wreck,” sunk ca. 1618 off the southwest coast of England

65.

Mexico, cob 8 reales, Philip III, oMF. S-M12a, KM-44.1

Weak F, full shield and cross and denomination 8, part of king’s ordinal III, darkly toned and moderately to heavily corroded, with piece of edge missing. $75-$100 66.

Potosí, Bolivia, cob 8 reales, Philip III, assayer R. S-P15, KM-10

Heavily corroded coin but with full shield and discernible assayer. $55-$75

53

Atocha, sunk in 1622 west of Key West, Florida

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO 67.

4 reales, Philip III or IV, assayer not visible, full cross, Grade 3.

Good full cross and shield despite moderate corrosion that has truncated the edges to a 2R size (in fact, erroneously attributed on the certificate as a 2 reales), good for jewelry.

With Fisher certificate #202492 from 1986.

$400-$500 68.

2 reales, 1615? (rare), oMF, Grade-2 quality but Grade 3 on certificate.

S-M17

Bold oMF, bottom half of date visible with 5 rendered as a backwards 2, nice full cross, edges a bit ragged from corrosion.

With Fisher certificate #222391 from 1986.

$500-$600

69.

2 reales, Philip III or IV, oMD, Grade-2 quality but Grade 3 on certificate.

Nearly full cross and shield, well centered, weak assayer, somewhat corroded all over.

With Fisher certificate #190616 from 1986.

$450-$550 70.

2 reales, Philip III or IV, assayer not visible, Grade-2 quality but Grade 3 on certificate.

Full and well-detailed shield with bold denomination “z� to right, good full cross, corroded through in a couple places.

With Fisher certificate #190187 from 1986.

$400-$500

54

71.

2 reales, group lot of 5, Philip III or IV, one with assayer F visible, Grade 3.

Good wholesale lot for jewelry or retail.

With Fisher certificates #171041, 181830, 202200, 206826 and 207445 from 1986.

$1,400-$1,700

LIMA, PERU 72.

2 reales, Philip II, P-oD to right (assayer Diego de la Torre), Grade 3.

S-L4

Good full shield and cross but very thin from corrosion and with much of edge missing.

With Fisher certificate #135560 from 1986.

$500-$600 73.

2 reales, Philip II, P-oD to right (assayer Diego de la Torre), Grade 3.

S-L4

Broad, thin planchet with full shield and cross, some heavy corrosion (corroded through in places).

With Fisher certificate #169860 from 1986.

$500-$600

55

POTOSI, BOLIVIA 74.

8 reales, Philip III, assayer R (curved leg), choice Grade 1, Heber collection.

S-P15, KM-10

Beautiful specimen with no corrosion, choice full cross (intricate detail), full assayer to left of full but doubled shield, broad planchet with hint of toning.

With Fisher color-photo-certificate #H-1872 from 1986. From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$550-$750 75.

8 reales, Philip III, assayer R (curved leg), Grade 2.

S-P15, KM-10

Full cross and shield, light corrosion all over, typically very silvery.

With full-color Fisher hologram photo-certificate #191873 from 2001.

$325-$400

76.

8 reales, Philip III, assayer curved-leg R, Grade 2 (estimated).

S-P15, KM-10

Great shield side with full P-R and shield and even king’s ordinal III in legend, cross also full but lightly corroded, but very solid overall.

Original Fisher certificate missing and replaced with photo-bearing copy. From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$300-$400 77.

8 reales, Philip III, assayer Q, Grade 2 S-P17, KM-10

Full shield and cross-and-tressure, clear P-Q, light corrosion only, broad planchet.

With Fisher certificate #190159 from 1986. From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$350-$500

56

78.

8 reales, 1617M, Grade 2.

S-P19, KM-10

Full but weak date and P-M due to light to moderate corrosion all over, still full shield and cross.

With Fisher hologram certificate #148123 from 1986.

$375-$450 79.

8 reales, full-date 1618T, denomination o-8 to right, Grade 1.

S-P21, KM-10

Very rare with such a full and bold date and curious denomination o-8, bold full shield and cross, most of crown, practically no corrosion, hence obviously Grade 1 even though the certificate does not state a Grade.

With Fisher certificate #187177 from 1986.

$1,750-$2,500

80.

8 reales, full date 1619T, Grade 2 (estimated).

S-P21, KM-10

Rare with full and bold date (the four digits crammed together in a small space at about 8 o’clock), good full shield and cross, lightly corroded all over.

Original Fisher certificate missing and replaced with photo-bearing copy. From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$600-$800 81.

8 reales, partial date (1)61(?), assayer not visible, Grade 3.

Corroded coin with clear 61 of date, smallish planchet with nearly full (but weak) shield and cross, the latter under some spots of black encrustation.

With Fisher hologram certificate #147747 from 1986.

$180-$240

57

82.

8 reales, Philip III or IV, assayer not visible, quadrants of cross transposed and lions rotated, Grade 1.

Unique error with both lions rotated 90째 clockwise (lying on their backs), the cross quite full and bold, also with full but doubled shield, minimal corrosion on cross side only.

With Fisher certificate #159430 from 1986. From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$500-$700 83.

8 reales, Philip III or IV, assayer not visible, Grade 2.

Good full cross, full but weak shield, solid coin but with light surface corrosion all over.

With Fisher hologram certificate #189111 from 1986.

$300-$375

84.

8 reales, Philip III or IV, assayer not visible, Grade-1 quality but Grade 3 on certificate.

Solid specimen with full and bold shield and cross (the latter especially nice), practically no corrosion, so we believe the Grade on the certificate is an error.

With Fisher certificate #104405 from 1986. From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$250-$350 85.

4 reales, Philip III, assayer Q/Q/C, Grade 1, from the Heber collection.

S-P17, KM-9

Rare over-assayer, with one very bold Q punched over another Q closer to the shield, punched over a C, the shield and cross quite nice and full, minimal corrosion (only around edge).

With Fisher color-photo certificate #H-1865 from 1986.

$550-$650

58

86.

4 reales, Philip III or IV, assayer T, Grade 2.

Bold full shield and cross, clear assayer, lightly corroded all over.

With Fisher hologram certificate #182521 from 1986.

$350-$425 87.

4 reales, Philip III or IV, assayer not visible, quadrants of cross transposed, Grade 2.

Bold but off-center cross with common juxtaposition of lions and castles, full shield and denomination o-IIII, light corrosion on shield side only.

With Fisher hologram certificate #187934 from 1986.

$350-$425

88.

4 reales, group lot of 5, Philip III or IV, some with assayer visible (Q and T), Grade 3.

All erroneously attributed as 2 reales on the certificates. Good wholesale lot for jewelry or retail.

With Fisher certificates #172453, 190923, 201872, 202190 and 207403 from 1986.

$1,500-$1,800

59

89.

4 reales, group lot of 5, Philip III or IV, assayers not visible, Grade 3.

All erroneously attributed as 2 reales on the certificates. Good wholesale lot for jewelry or retail.

With Fisher certificates #182004, 184186, 184351, 203013 and 206486 from 1986.

$1,400-$1,700

90.

4 reales, group lot of 5, Philip III or IV, some with assayer visible (Q and T), Grade 3.

All erroneously attributed as 2 reales on the certificates. Good wholesale lot for jewelry or retail.

With Fisher certificates #147463, 181975, 183389, 206489 and 207614 from 1986.

$1,400-$1,700

60

91.

4 reales, group lot of 5, Philip III or IV, some with assayer visible (B and Q), Grade 3.

All erroneously attributed as 2 reales on the certificates. Good wholesale lot for jewelry or retail.

With Fisher certificates #181814, 185780, 199723, 203010 and 207168 from 1986.

$1,400-$1,700

92.

2 reales, Philip II, assayer B to left (1st period, “Lima style”), denomination ii punched over former mintmark-assayer P-M to right, Grade-1 quality but Grade 2 on certificate.

S-P4, KM-unlisted

Rare and curious over-punchings that help to establish the order of early assayers at Potosí, typically well detailed and with much legend, no corrosion but some minor flatness (weak strike).

With Fisher certificate #236443 from 1986.

$750-$850 93.

2 reales, assayer PAL (1618), Grade 3.

S-P20, KM-8

Rare assayer PAL in monogram that we once called RAL and attributed to Ramos Leceta (who was actually dead in 1618) but now we suspect it belonged to assayer Palencia, his mark clear on this coin as well as the full shield and cross, but otherwise the coin is corroded, with pieces of the edge missing.

With Fisher certificate #202521 from 1986.

$500-$600

61

94.

2 reales, 1619, assayer not visible (T), Grade 3.

S-P21, KM-8

Full but weak date, nice full shield, somewhat corroded and with pieces of edge missing.

With Fisher certificate #184174 from 1986.

$600-$700 95.

2 reales, Philip III or IV, assayer not visible, Grade-1 quality but Grade 3 on certificate.

Very choice full cross, full shield, no corrosion whatsoever, so we believe the Grade on the certificate is an error.

With Fisher certificate #186137 from 1986.

$500-$600

96.

2 reales, Philip III or IV, assayer not visible, Grade-1 quality but Grade 3 on certificate.

Nice full cross, full but slightly doubled shield, no corrosion (we believe the Grade on the certificate is an error).

With Fisher certificate #186241 from 1986.

$500-$600 97.

2 reales, Philip III or IV, assayer not visible, curious error with backwards S in legend, Grade-1 quality but Grade 3 on certificate.

Broad planchet with king’s name (with backwards S) and ordinal III in legend, full shield and cross, no corrosion (so we believe the Grade on the certificate is an error) but some weak strike.

With Fisher certificate #186288 from 1986.

$500-$600

62

98.

2 reales, group lot of 5, Philip III or IV, some with assayer visible, Grade-1 quality but Grade 3 on certificates.

Good wholesale lot for jewelry or retail.

With Fisher certificates #186109, 186181, 186229, 186253 and 186291 from 1986.

$2,000-$3,000

99.

2 reales, group lot of 10, Philip III or IV, some with assayer visible (B, R, Q, M and T), Grade-2 quality but Grade 3 on certificates.

Good wholesale lot for jewelry or retail.

With Fisher certificates #183359, 186073, 186105, 186245, 190962, 207009, 207012, 207415, 216881 and 245429 from 1986.

$3,500-$5,000 63

100.

2 reales, group lot of 10, Philip III or IV, some with assayer visible (R and T), Grade-2 quality but Grade 3 on certificates.

Good wholesale lot for jewelry or retail.

With Fisher certificates #102260, 128779, 128799, 143958, 143979, 190959, 202225, 202430, 207015 and 221888 from 1986.

$3,500-$5,000

64

101.

2 reales, group lot of 10, Philip III or IV, some with assayer visible (R and T), Grade-2 quality but Grade 3 on certificates.

Good wholesale lot for jewelry or retail.

With Fisher certificates #102281, 128819, 143999, 176752, 186237, 191065, 191077, 208393, 216310 and 217165 from 1986.

$3,500-$5,000

65

102.

2 reales, group lot of 10, Philip III or IV, some with assayer visible (R, Q, M and T), Grade-2 quality but Grade 3 on certificates.

Note that one coin has the bar-coded tag but the certificate is missing (but replaceable through Mel Fisher’s company). Good wholesale lot for jewelry or retail.

With Fisher certificates #142832, 143518, 143778, 186173, 186282, 186336, 190936, 190951, 191020 (bar-coded card present but actual certificate missing) and 202439 from 1986.

$3,500-$5,000

66

103.

2 reales, group lot of 10, Philip III or IV, some with assayer visible (R and Q), one with backwards S in legend, Grade-2 quality but Grade 3 on certificates.

Good wholesale lot for jewelry or retail.

With Fisher certificates #186093, 186265, 186273, 186285, 186306, 186327, 191023, 191053, 191059 and 202433 from 1986.

$3,500-$5,000

67

104.

2 reales, group lot of 10, Philip III or IV, some with assayer visible (B, R, Q and T), Grade-2 quality but Grade 3 on certificates.

Good wholesale lot for jewelry or retail.

With Fisher certificates #142992, 144019, 182637, 183382, 184147, 186085, 186121, 186125, 186157 and 222369 from 1986.

$3,500-$5,000

68

105.

2 reales, group lot of 10, Philip III or IV, some with assayer visible (B and R), Grade 3.

Good wholesale lot for jewelry or retail.

With Fisher certificates #185861, 186033, 186209, 186330, 191099, 202436, 202442, 202448, 202451 and 216316 from 1986.

$3,000-$4,500

69

106.

2 reales, group lot of 10, Philip III or IV, one with assayer visible (B), Grade 3.

Good wholesale lot for jewelry or retail.

With Fisher certificates #168753, 181809, 182009, 184164, 186177, 208188, 220904, 220912, 221929 and 222194 from 1986.

$3,000-$4,500

70

107.

2 reales, group lot of 10, Philip III or IV, one with assayer visible (B), Grade 3.

Good wholesale lot for jewelry or retail.

With Fisher certificates #133413, 135125, 175639, 175644, 176747, 186217, 186257, 191080, 202427 and 202445 from 1986.

$3,000-$4,500

71

108.

2 reales, group lot of 10, Philip III or IV, one with assayer visible (R), Grade 3.

Good wholesale lot for jewelry or retail.

With Fisher certificates #135432, 181799, 181804, 186233, 191062, 191068, 191083, 202197, 207618 and 220916 from 1986.

$3,000-$4,500

72

109.

2 reales, group lot of 10, Philip III or IV, one with assayer visible (Q), Grade 3.

Good wholesale lot for jewelry or retail.

With Fisher certificates #142952, 184153, 186303, 190965, 207000, 207003, 207006, 207624, 216307 and 221724 from 1986.

$3,000-$4,500

73

110.

2 reales, group lot of 10, Philip III or IV, some with assayer visible (B, R and T), all odd shapes (from corrosion), Grade 3.

Good wholesale lot for jewelry or retail.

With Fisher certificates #133249, 134882, 177141, 176905, 181963, 207028, 207045, 207421, 207424 and 221910 from 1986.

$3,000-$4,500

74

111.

2 reales, group lot of 7, Philip III or IV, some with assayer visible (B and T), Grade 3.

Good wholesale lot for jewelry or retail.

With Fisher certificates #128659, 133378, 184158, 191074, 208185, 216788 and 217992 from 1986.

$2,000-$3,250

75

112.

2 reales, group lot of 8, Philip III or IV, some with assayer visible (Q and T), Grade 3.

Curiously, the coins in this lot are all misattributed on their certificates as 1 reales (a very elusive denomination from this wreck) and five show “Grade 4” on their cards even though their certificates say “Grade 3.” Good wholesale lot for jewelry or retail.

With Fisher certificates #202497, 202501, 202505, 202512, 202516, 207018, 207021 and 207418 from 1986.

$3,000-$4,000

76

113.

2 reales, group lot of 8, Philip III or IV, one with assayer visible (B), Grade 3.

Curiously, the coins in this lot are all misattributed on their certificates as 1 reales (a very elusive denomination from this wreck). Good wholesale lot for jewelry or retail.

With Fisher certificates #181836, 181841, 181846, 199412, 202455, 202458, 202461 and 202464 from 1986.

$3,000-$4,000

COLOMBIA OR SPAIN 114.

4 reales, Philip III or IV, assayer not visible, Grade 3.

This coin was most likely struck in Spain, but without mintmark or assayer visible (or enough of the shield) there is really no way to rule out Cartagena or BogotĂĄ, which would be rare (the certificate, in any case, erroneously calls it a PotosĂ­ 2 reales). Nearly full cross, full shield with denomination IIII (vertically) to right, corroded all over but not terribly so.

With Fisher certificate #131168 from 1986.

$300-$375

77

Santa Margarita, sunk in 1622 west of Key West, Florida

115.

Mexico, cob 8 reales, Philip III, assayer not visible, Grade 4.

Very crude, warped and corroded planchet but with just enough features to discern the mint.

With Fisher certificate #138017 from 1986.

$35-$50 116.

PotosĂ­, Bolivia, cob 8 reales, Philip III or IV, assayer T, Grade 3.

Broad planchet with full shield and cross, moderate to heavy corrosion all over, much dark toning.

With original 1982 Fisher photo-certificate #1178. From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$200-$250

117.

PotosĂ­, Bolivia, cob 8 reales, Philip III or IV, assayer not visible, Grade 4.

Very thin and underweight from corrosion but with recognizable cross.

With 1984 Fisher certificate #84-166.

$35-$50

78

“Dry Tortugas wreck,” sunk ca. 1622 off the Dry Tortugas, west of Key West, Florida

118.

Mexico, 4 reales, Philip III or IV, (o)MD. Thin and corroded (corroded through in a few spots) but with good full cross and shield.

With Seahawk certificate #628.0077.

$125-$175 119.

Potosí, Bolivia, 2 reales, Philip III or IV, assayer not visible.

Good cross (off-center) and shield (both nearly full), better detail than most despite typical corrosion and thinning.

With Seahawk certificate #434.0011.

$125-$175

Batavia, sunk in 1629 off Western Australia

120.

Segovia, Spain, milled 2 reales “pistareen,” 1628P. CT-704, KM-93.1

Nice shipwreck coin with full details on both sides (popular type with both jewelers and U.S. colonial collectors who appreciate that these were legal tender in the U.S. till 1857), light corrosion near edge only, but the Batavia provenance is uncertified (just most logical).

From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$50-$100

79

Concepci贸n, sunk in 1641 off the northeast coast of Hispaniola

121.

Mexico, cob 8 reales, Philip IV, assayer not visible (P).

S-M19, KM-45

Typical specimen, housed in a large, blue-leatherette, wallet-type certificate.

From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$120-$160 122.

Mexico, cob 8 reales, Philip IV, assayer not visible (P).

S-M19, KM-45

Huge planchet with some stress cracks, good full cross, darkly toned, no corrosion at all. $75-$150

123.

Mexico, cob 8 reales, Philip IV, assayer not visible (P).

S-M19, KM-45

Good cross, partial date, typical barrel-shaped planchet, no corrosion but some minor edge-splits. $75-$150 124.

Mexico, cob 8 reales, Philip IV, (oM)P. S-M19, KM-45

Bold assayer and clear denomination 8, most of shield and cross, some light corrosion and toning. $75-$150

80

Lastdrager, sunk in 1653 off the Shetland Islands, north of Scotland

125.

Emden, Germany (Holy Roman Empire), 28 stuber or 1 gulden (2/3 taler), undated, Ferdinand II (162037).

Darkly toned as uncleaned, still with full name of emperor and mintmark EMB, minimal corrosion but some wear. $75-$100 126.

Emden, Germany (Holy Roman Empire), 28 stuber or 1 gulden (2/3 taler), undated, Ferdinand II (162037).

Darkly toned as uncleaned, still with full name of emperor and mintmark EMB, minimal corrosion but some wear. $75-$100

127.

Emden, Germany (Holy Roman Empire), 28 stuber or 1 gulden (2/3 taler), undated, Ferdinand III (163757).

Darkly toned as uncleaned, still with full name of emperor and mintmark EMB, minimal corrosion but some wear. $75-$100 128.

Emden, Germany (Holy Roman Empire), 28 stuber or 1 gulden (2/3 taler), undated, Ferdinand III (163757).

Darkly toned as uncleaned, still with full name of emperor (ordinal III especially bold) and mintmark EMB, minimal corrosion but some wear. $75-$100 81

Capitana (Jesús María de la Limpia Concepción), sunk in 1654 off Chanduy, Ecuador

129.

Mexico, cob 8 reales, (16)43?(P).

S-M19, KM-45

Very rare type from this wreck, and rarer still with the partial date, which is impossible to rectify but looks most like (16)43 despite what appears to be an early-1630s-type cross. Both the cross and shield are full and nice.

With West Bay Trading Co. certificate signed by conservator and archeologist Joel Ruth. From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$350-$500 130.

Potosí, Bolivia, cob 8 reales, (1651-2)E, with arms countermark on cross.

S-P36 (c/m 4), KM-C19.22

Scarce countermark, about 20% of it (more than usual) visible at edge, decent full shield but heavily corroded cross, king’s ordinal IIII in legend.

With Atlantic Treasure Coins photo-certificate.

$100-$150

Maravillas, sunk in 1656 off Grand Bahama Island

131.

Potosí, Bolivia, cob 8 reales, (165)1E, with crowned-•F• countermark on shield.

S-P36 (c/m 3), KM-C19.3

Choice full countermark with no dots above crown, nice full cross with bold 1 of date in legend, some flatness but light corrosion only on shield side.

With Atlantic Treasure Coins photo-certificate.

$300-$400 82

Unidentified ca.-1667 wreck off Sicily

132.

Mexico, cob 2 reales, Philip IV, assayer not visible (mid-1600s).

Big, round planchet with nearly full shield and cross, no corrosion but lots of sediment and darkly toned (uncleaned). $75-$100 133.

Mexico, cob 2 reales, Philip IV, assayer P. S-M19, KM-33

Choice full shield and cross (both off-center), weak but certain oMP, toned but no corrosion, typical urn-shaped planchet. $75-$100

Unidentified ca.-1671 wreck in Seville harbor, Spain

134.

Potosí, Bolivia, cob 8 reales, 1670E, mounted in 14K gold bezel for necklace.

S-P37b, KM-26

Nice specimen with three full dates, two mintmarks, full cross and crown, good pillars, typical edge-split, no corrosion.

With Atlantic Treasure Coins photo-certificate. From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$400-$500 135.

Potosí, Bolivia, cob 4 reales, 1660E. S-P37a, KM-18

Good full cross, 2½ mintmarks, no corrosion but some flatness. $150-$200 83

136.

Potosí, Bolivia, cob 4 reales, 1660E. S-P37a, KM-18

Good full cross, some corrosion around edge. $150-$200 137.

Potosí, Bolivia, cob 4 reales, 1668E. S-P37b, KM-25

Nice centers on both sides, no corrosion but some flatness. $150-$200

138.

Potosí, Bolivia, cob 4 reales, 1669E. S-P37b, KM-25

Good full cross and waves, some corrosion and flatness. $150-$200 139.

Potosí, Bolivia, cob 4 reales, 1671E. S-P37b, KM-25

Good full cross and pillars-side detail, light corrosion, small edge-split. $150-$200

140.

Potosí, Bolivia, cob 4 reales, Charles II (date not visible), assayer E. S-P37b, KM-25

Nearly full cross, good tops of pillars, no corrosion, darkly toned, flat where date should appear. $100-$150 84

Consolación (“Isla de Muerto shipwreck”), sunk in 1681 off Santa Clara Island, Ecuador

141.

Lima, Peru, cob 8 reales, (1660)V, “Star of Lima” type.

S-L5, KM-18.2

Very rare issue with L-8-V flanking pillars and PLVS / * / VLTRA above date (not visible) in center, particularly nice full crown and cross (off-center), lightly corroded but judiciously cleaned and retoned.

With West Bay Trading Co. certificate #200673.

$2,000-$2,500 142.

Potosí, Bolivia, cob 8 reales, 1656E. S-P37a, KM-21

Bold pillars and waves, three full dates, full but corroded cross, nicely toned but lightly to moderately corroded all over.

With Atlantic Treasure Coins photo-certificate.

$250-$300

143.

Potosí, Bolivia, cob 8 reales, 1679C. S-P38, KM-26

Bold pillars side with three C’s (due to doubling), lightly to moderately corroded all over.

With Atlantic Treasure Coins photo-certificate.

$275-$350 144.

Potosí, Bolivia, cob 8 reales, 1679V. S-P39, KM-26

Nice bold pillars and cross, odd shape, some flatness but not really any corrosion.

With Atlantic Treasure Coins photo-certificate.

$300-$375 85

145.

Potosí, Bolivia, cob 8 reales, 1679V. S-P39, KM-26

Bold cross and pillars but thin from heavy corrosion.

With Atlantic Treasure Coins photo-certificate.

$125-$175 146.

Potosí, Bolivia, cob 4 reales, 1678E. S-P37b, KM-25

Nearly full (and bold) cross and pillars-and-waves, 1½ dates, toned all over, light to moderate corrosion.

With Atlantic Treasure Coins photo-certificate.

$150-$200

147.

Potosí, Bolivia, cob 4 reales, 1679C. S-P38, KM-25

Nice full cross and pillars-and-waves, 1½ dates, minimal corrosion.

With Atlantic Treasure Coins photo-certificate.

$275-$350 148.

Potosí, Bolivia, cob 4 reales, 1679C, retrograde denomination 4.

S-P38, KM-25

Bold date below cross with C to right, thin and lightly corroded (especially on the pillars side), rare denomination-variant.

With Atlantic Treasure Coins photo-certificate.

$200-$250

86

149.

Potosí, Bolivia, cob 4 reales, 1679V. S-P39, KM-25

Bold date between good pillars, nearly full cross, broad, thin flan, 1½ dates and assayers, small edge-crack.

With Atlantic Treasure Coins photo-certificate.

$150-$200 150.

Potosí, Bolivia, cob 2 reales, 1668E. S-P37b, KM-24

Broad planchet with nearly full cross and pillars, king’s name (CA)ROL(VS) in legend, light corrosion around edge only.

With Atlantic Treasure Coins photo-certificate.

$175-$250

151.

Potosí, Bolivia, cob 2 reales, 1679C. S-P38, KM-24

Nice full pillars-and-waves, good but off-center cross, two dates, three mintmarks, light corrosion.

With Atlantic Treasure Coins photo-certificate.

$150-$200 152.

Potosí, Bolivia, cob 1 real, 1661E. S-P37a, KM-13

Three full dates (rare thus), nice pillars side, nearly full cross, thin and corroded but not terribly so.

With Atlantic Treasure Coins photo-certificate.

$125-$175

87

Joanna, sunk in 1682 off South Africa

153.

Mexico, cob 8 reales, (168)0L. S-M21, KM-46

Bold 0 of date, clear oML, typically rectangular planchet with light to moderate corrosion all over (small piece of edge chipped off but still present) and no toning, very characteristic of this wreck, even though the accompanying certificate states a different origin.

With Somewhere in Time (Dick Holt) photo-certificate stating its origin as 1715 Fleet. From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$150-$250

Association, sunk in 1707 off the Scilly Isles, southwest of England

154.

Lima, Peru, cob 8 reales, 1689V. S-L8, KM-24

Very solid coin with two dates and assayers, no corrosion but some flatness and patches of dark toning, hairline edge-split.

From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$200-$300 155.

Exeter, England, half crown, 1697, mounted for wear as a pin.

Sp-3490, KM-491.10

Nearly totally uncorroded coin but somewhat worn (Fine) and with silver pin soldered to the back, presumably done in the 1970s when the wreck was first discovered. $75-$100

88

DeLiefde, sunk in 1711 off the Shetland Islands, north of Scotland

156.

Westfriesland, United Netherlands, “rider” ducatoon, 1659.

KM-46

Full details (clear date), light corrosion only, toned all over.

From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$150-$200 157.

Westfriesland, United Netherlands, “rider” ducatoon, date not visible.

KM-46

Good details but lightly corroded right where the date should appear.

From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$110-$170

158.

Zwolle, United Netherlands, “rider” ducatoon, date not visible.

KM-65

Lots of legend, inner details a little muddled, minimal corrosion, darkly toned all over.

With full-color Sea Treasures (Wayne Duff) photo-certificate. From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$150-$250 159.

Utrecht, United Netherlands, “rider” ducatoon, 1711.

KM-83.1

Typically well detailed and dark, with no corrosion except for small lacunae here and there, possible clip on edge (could have been done at the mint).

With generic Ponterio certificate from 1992. From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$150-$250 89

1715 fleet, east coast of Florida

160.

Mexico, cob 8 reales, Philip V, assayer not visible, uncleaned “greenie.”

Loaded with green and white encrustation all over, just the way they come from the beach, very solid coin underneath.

With Sedwick certificate from 2003. From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$100-$150 161.

Mexico, cob 8 reales, Philip V, assayer not visible, uncleaned “greenie.”

All of cross side and most of shield side are covered with greenish encrustation but about a third of the shield is exposed and shows a solid coin underneath.

With Sedwick certificate from 2001. From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$100-$150

162.

Mexico, cob 8 reales, Philip V, assayer not visible.

This appears to be a typical Fleet 8R but it comes from the collection of Mendel Peterson, who obtained coins from wrecks all over the world in his travels for the Smithsonian Museum in the 1970s, so this coin could come from another wreck. There is also a tiny drilled hole in edge. Nice cross, odd-shaped planchet, practically no corrosion.

From the collection of Mendel Peterson. From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$150-$250

90

Guadalupe-Tolosa, sunk in 1724 off the Dominican Republic

163.

Seville, Spain, milled 2 reales “pistareen,” 1722J. CT-1027, KM-307

Popular type with jewelers and U.S. colonial collectors, who appreciate that these coins were legal tender in the U.S. till 1857. All crucial details visible despite light corrosion all over, very rare provenance. $50-$100 164.

Seville, Spain, milled 2 reales “pistareen,” 1723J. CT-1028, KM-307

Popular type with jewelers and U.S. colonial collectors, who appreciate that these coins were legal tender in the U.S. till 1857. Nice details (especially on the shield side), lightly corroded, very rare provenance. $50-$100

165.

Lot of 11 small silver coins, some cobs (New World) and some milled (Spain).

Four milled 2R “pistareens” and seven ½R cobs, all heavily corroded, some with identifiable details, great lot for resale, very rare provenance. $50-$100 91

Akerendam, sunk in 1725 off Norway

166.

Mexico, cob 8 reales, (1)719, oM(J).

S-M22, KM-47

Very rare date, with bold 71 and enough of the 9 to be certain, rectangular planchet with much flatness (most of cross and shield) but minimal corrosion. $500-$700

Chameau, sunk in 1725 off Nova Scotia

167.

France (mint uncertain), ecu, Louis XV, 1725.

Decent reverse with clear date and other details (darkly toned) but practically all of the obverse worn and corroded away. $70-$100 168.

No lot.

92

1733 fleet, Florida Keys

169.

Mexico, cob 8 reales, full-date 1724(D).

S-M23, KM-49

Very rare with full, four-digit date, possibly Louis I (legend not visible), crude strike with only about 20% of the coin struck (the rest flat) but very little corrosion.

With Sedwick certificate from 2002. From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$500-$700 170.

Mexico, cob 8 reales, full-date 1732/1F. S-M26, KM-47a

Choice bold date with clear overdate (scarce), bold full oMF, full cross, thick and solid planchet, minimal corrosion, brightly cleaned.

From the “Coffins Patch” site, with certificate #51 signed by the salvager (Bill Wood).

$325-$475

171.

Mexico, cob 8 reales, 1732F. S-M26, KM-47a

Full date and oMF, thick planchet but lightly corroded, silvery from cleaning.

From the “Coffins Patch” site, with certificate #50 signed by the salvager (Bill Wood).

$300-$400 172.

Mexico, cob 8 reales, 1732F. S-M26, KM-47a

Square planchet with weak but certain date and oMF, most of cross and shield, solid but pitted.

From the “Coffins Patch” site, with certificate #95 signed by the salvager (Bill Wood).

$150-$200 93

173.

Mexico, cob 8 reales, 1733F. S-M26, KM-47a

Scarce final date of Mexican (weakly visible), bold oMF, good cross, lightly pitted all over.

From the “Coffins Patch” site, with certificate #64 signed by the salvager (Bill Wood).

$300-$400 174.

Mexico, cob 4 reales, (1730)R. S-M24, KM-40a

Odd shape, with bold and full oMR, most of shield, king’s ordinal V in legend, pitted cross.

From the “Coffins Patch” site, with certificate #69 signed by the salvager (Bill Wood).

$150-$200

175.

Mexico, cob 4 reales, (173)0G. S-M25, KM-40a

Nice cross, clear final digit of date and oMG (which makes it odd that the certificate calls it 1732F), square shape, pitted but solid.

From the “Coffins Patch” site, with certificate #82 signed by the salvager (Bill Wood).

$150-$200 176.

Mexico, cob ½ real, Philip V, assayer not visible.

Off-center strike with most of crown in center, PH of king’s name in legend, good cross, pitting near edge, scarce denomination from a shipwreck.

From the “Coffins Patch” site, with certificate #99 signed by the salvager (Bill Wood).

$125-$150 177.

Mexico, cob ½ real, Philip V, assayer not visible.

Full monogram, nearly full cross, pitting near edge, scarce denomination from a shipwreck.

From the “Coffins Patch” site, with certificate #105 signed by the salvager (Bill Wood).

$150-$175 94

178.

Mexico, klippe 8 reales, 1733F. S-M27, KM-48

Scarce single-letter assayer, full date and oMF, full shield, off-center cross, solid but pitted all over.

From the “Coffins Patch” site, with certificate #59 signed by the salvager (Bill Wood).

$500-$750 179.

Mexico, pillar 8 reales, 1733F, mintmark oM. CT-693, KM-103

Scarce second year of issue, highly lustrous coin that was obviously Mint State (or close to it) when it sank but now with small areas of light to moderate corrosion, silvery from cleaning, still with excellent bold details all over.

From the “Coffins Patch” site, with certificate #16 signed by the salvager (Bill Wood).

$750-$1,000

Vliegenthart, sunk in 1735 off Zeeland, the Netherlands

180.

Mexico, cob 8 reales, Philip V, oMF. S-M26, KM-47a

Square-shaped planchet, heavily corroded but with fairly clear oMF and most of cross, somewhat toned.

With certificate in Blanchard brown-leatherette promotional wallet.

$55-$75 181.

Mexico, cob 8 reales, Philip V, oM(F).

S-M26, KM-47a

Weakly dated in the 1730s, with clear oM mintmark and most of cross on an elongated and heavily corroded and underweight planchet, somewhat toned.

With certificate in Blanchard brown-leatherette promotional wallet.

$55-$75 95

182.

Overijssel, United Netherlands, “rider” ducatoon, 1733.

Choice high-grade inner details but edges moderately pitted, nicely toned.

From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$150-$200 183.

Overijssel, United Netherlands, “rider” ducatoon, 1734.

Decent “rider” side but date side lightly corroded all over, nicely toned.

From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$150-$200

Rooswijk, sunk in 1739 off southeast England

184.

Mexico, cob 8 reales, full-date 1729R. S-M24, KM-47a

Choice specimen with clear mintmark and assayer, practically no corrosion but some dark spots from encrustation, typically crude strike, the full 4-digit date more typical of post-1730 issues.

With original color certificate from the salvagers.

$200-$300

96

DeVisch, sunk in 1740 off South Africa

184a.

Gelderland, United Netherlands, “rider” ducatoon, 1730.

KM-95.3

Choice details on “rider” side, date side a little corroded, nicely toned all over, scarce provenance.

With Sedwick certificate from 2003. From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$250-$350

Hollandia, sunk in 1743 off the Scilly Isles, southwest of England

185.

Mexico, pillar 8 reales, Philip V, 1736MF. CT-699, KM-103

AU details all over, no corrosion, even gray toning throughout. $150-$250 186.

Mexico, pillar 4 reales, Philip V, 174/30MF. CT-901a, KM-94

Scarce overdate, highly lustrous Mint State details but with a touch of corrosion.

From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$200-$400

97

Princess Louisa, sunk in 1743 off the Cape Verde Islands, west of Africa

187.

Impressive clump of 5 well-preserved silver cobs in debris.

Great little stack containing a PotosĂ­ 4R, a Lima 2R, a Mexican 1R, and two other unidentified cobs with lots of orange encrustation and little pebbles in between, a very scarce mix of different types and very attractive for a small clump. $350-$500 188.

Small clump of 3 worn silver cobs.

Really just a featureless stack but clearly containing three coins and interesting to show how they fused together under the sea.

With small card-type certificate from the promotional firm Coin Invest Trust Vaduz (Liechtenstein).

$60-$90

MEXICO 189.

2 reales, 1731, oM(F).

S-M26, KM-35a

Full 4-digit date (scarce), off-center shield, bold cross, solid but lightly corroded.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$110-$135

LIMA, PERU 190.

8 reales, 1696H. S-L13, KM-24

Big planchet, 2 dates, 3 mintmarks, clear assayer, well centered, minimal corrosion but some flatness.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$225-$300 98

191.

8 reales, 1708H. S-L17, KM-34

Rare date, but also quite nice for this wreck, with full pillars and cross (the latter slightly off-center), clear date and mintmark, 2 assayers, very light pitting, with contrasting toning.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$300-$400 192.

8 reales, 1710H. S-L19, KM-34

Scarce date (very boldly visible twice), nearly full pillars and cross, good detail but edges corroded away.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$250-$325

193.

8 reales, 1722(M).

S-L20, KM-34

Huge flan with bold cross and date between pillars, much peripheral flatness but practically no corrosion, very curious.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$250-$325 194.

8 reales, 1723M. S-L20, KM-34

Good central detail, 2 clear dates, no corrosion but patchy toning and peripheral flatness.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$250-$325

99

195.

8 reales, 1725M. S-20a, KM-39

Rare issue attributable to Louis I (not visible in legend) with clear date, bold pillars and cross, light corrosion, small pieces of edge missing.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$300-$400 196.

8 reales, 1726M. S-L20b, KM-39

Rare date, probably Philip V and not Louis I (as listed in KM), with bold date and mintmark and assayer on pillars side, most of cross, minimal surface corrosion but pieces of edge missing.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$300-$400

197.

4 reales, 1723M. S-L20, KM-33

Scarce type, nice central detail with clear date, round planchet, minimal corrosion but peripheral flatness (typical).

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$300-$400 198.

4 reales, 1724M. S-L20, KM-33

Scarce type, clear date and most of cross (well centered), light corrosion and typical flatness, small edge-split.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$225-$300

100

199.

4 reales, 1726(M).

S-L20b, KM-33

Scarce type, clear date plus half of another, decent full cross, all well centered, but with some significant pitting.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$250-$325 200.

2 reales, 1692V. S-L10, KM-21

Bold date and assayer, full crown above off-center cross, minimal corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$125-$160 201.

2 reales, 1698H. S-L13, KM-21

Good but slightly off-center full cross, full pillars, light to moderate corrosion all over.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$125-$160

202.

2 reales, 1701H. S-L15, KM-21

Bold date and assayer on pillars side, good full cross, light corrosion all over.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$125-$160 203.

2 reales, 1703H. S-L15a, KM-32

Two full dates, bold waves, some corrosion and flatness.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$100-$125

101

204.

2 reales, 1711M. S-L20, KM-32

Broad, squarish planchet, full cross, full date between pillars, some corrosion and flatness, small edge-split.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$100-$125 205.

2 reales, 1714M. S-L20, KM-32

Small, heart-shaped planchet (corroded), nice detail, 2 dates, full cross.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$100-$125 206.

2 reales, 1717M. S-L20, KM-32

Round planchet with 2 dates, full pillars and cross (the latter slightly doubled), light corrosion, small edge-split.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$100-$125

207.

2 reales, 1723M. S-L20, KM-32

Bold date (but last digit a little unclear), good full cross, lightly corroded all over.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$100-$125 208.

2 reales, 1725M. S-L20a, KM-32a

Rare date attributable to Louis I (not visible in legend), the date between the pillars very bold and full, nearly full cross, light to moderate corrosion all over.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$250-$325 102

209.

2 reales, 1726M. S-L20b, KM-32

Bold date, good pillars, off-center cross, light corrosion, edge-split.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$100-$125 210.

2 reales, 1727M. S-L20b, KM-32

Clear date, good but oversized cross, corrosion mostly on pillars side.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$100-$125 211.

2 reales, 1728N. S-L21, KM-32

Bold date and half of another, slightly off-center and oversized cross, light corrosion only.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$110-$135

212.

2 reales, 1730N. S-L21, KM-32a

Bold date but with extra metal on last digit (could be 1738, and if so, assayer looks like N/V), decent cross despite moderate corrosion all over.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$100-$125 213.

2 reales, 1731N. S-L21, KM-32a

Nicely centered strike with bold date, light corrosion, edge-split.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$115-$140

103

214.

2 reales, 1732N. S-L21, KM-32a

Broad planchet, good cross, moderate corrosion toward the edge.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$100-$125 215.

2 reales, 1733(N).

S-L21, KM-32a

Round planchet, good cross, moderate corrosion and some flatness.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$100-$125 216.

2 reales, 1734N. S-L21, KM-32a

Nicely centered strike on a round planchet, bold date, good cross, very light corrosion only.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$110-$135

217.

2 reales, 1735(N).

S-L21, KM-32a

Well-centered strike, broad planchet with edge-split, moderate corrosion all over.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$100-$125 218.

2 reales, 1736(N).

S-L21, KM-32a

Two clear dates, decent cross, roundish flan, light to moderate corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$110-$135

104

219.

2 reales, 1737(N).

S-L21, KM-32a

Two bold dates, odd shape, localized corrosion (mostly near edge).

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$110-$135 220.

2 reales, 1738(N).

S-L21, KM-32a

Good bold cross and date, oval shape, moderate corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$115-$140 221.

2 reales, 1739(V).

S-L22, KM-32a

Bold date and one choice lion, slightly off-center strike, light corrosion only.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$110-$135

222.

2 reales, 1741V. S-L22, KM-32a

Nice bold cross, bold but slightly doubled pillars, toning on fields, minimal corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$110-$135 223.

1 real, 1691(R).

S-L9, KM-20

Two bold dates, good pillars, moderate corrosion (crude edge).

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$90-$120

105

224.

1 real, 1694M. S-L11, KM-20

Well-centered strike on a round flan with clear date but moderately corroded all over.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$95-$115 225.

1 real, 1697H. S-L13, KM-20

Bold pillars-side detail (slightly off-center), flat/corroded cross.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$90-$120 226.

No lot.

227.

1 real, 1706R. S-L16, KM-31

Scarce one-year assayer, good full pillars, small round flan, light to moderate corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$80-$110

228.

1 real, 1709M. S-L18, KM-31

Two dates, good pillars and cross, light to moderate corrosion, toning on fields.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$100-$125 229.

1 real, 1716M. S-L20, KM-31

Full date, good but off-center cross, some pitting.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$80-$110 106

230.

1 real, 1718M. S-L20, KM-31

Big, lemon-shaped planchet with one full date and parts of two more, bold full cross, light corrosion all over.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$100-$125 231.

1 real, 1720(M).

S-L20, KM-31

Bold date, minimal corrosion but part of edge crude.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$90-$120 232.

1 real, 1733N. S-L21, KM-31a

Great bold date, good but off-center cross, a little thin from corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$80-$110

233.

1 real, 1737(N).

S-L21, KM-31a

Small, round flan with good but oversized cross, light to moderate corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$75-$100 234. ½ real, 1718.

S-L20, KM-30

Full date in middle of coin (off-center strike), round, good cross, some corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$60-$90

107

235. ½ real, 1719.

S-L20, KM-30

Two full dates, full cross and monogram, light corrosion, darkly toned.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$75-$100 236. ½ real, 1725.

S-L20a, KM-30a

Rare as Louis I (full monogram), good full cross, weak date, some corrosion (crude edge).

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$90-$120 237. ½ real, 1727.

S-L20b, KM-30

Bold date near middle of flan (off-center strike), good cross and monogram, light corrosion all over.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$90-$120

POTOSI, BOLIVIA 237a.

2 reales, Philip III, P-R (Ramos).

S-P15, KM-8

Rare early type from this wreck, full shield and cross but some flatness and corrosion (especially around the edge).

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$125-$175

108

238.

8 reales, 1686VR. S-P40, KM-26

Full but slightly doubled pillars and cross, nicely centered, some flatness and light wear and corrosion, edgesplit.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$175-$250 239.

8 reales, 1696VR. S-P40, KM-26

Odd double strike on both sides (about 45% offset), good full date and cross, light corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$175-$250

240.

8 reales, 1705(Y).

S-P43a, KM-31

Bold pillars and waves with full date, much flatness, one pit but otherwise minimal corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$150-$225 241.

8 reales, 1716Y. S-P43a, KM-31

Two full dates plus 17- in legend, good full pillars and cross, most of king’s name PHILIPPVS in legend, minimal corrosion, much nicer strike than usual for this period.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$250-$325

109

242.

8 reales, 1722Y. S-P43a, KM-31

Very bold date and assayer, excellent cross, crude split in edge, canvas impressions on surface but no corrosion, nice for era.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$200-$275 243.

8 reales, 1724Y. S-P43a, KM-31

Scarce date, full pillars and cross, excellent detail for period, practically no corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$250-$325

244.

8 reales, 1725Y. S-P43b, KM-35

Rare Louis I (not visible in legend), 2 full dates, good full pillars, well-centered strike, light corrosion only.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$425-$550 245.

8 reales, 1726Y. S-P43b, KM-35

Rare Louis I (not visible in legend), bold full pillars and cross, 2 dates, light corrosion only.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$400-$500

110

246.

8 reales, 1727Y. S-P43b, KM-35

Rare Louis I with “LVIS” and “POTOSI” visible in legend, good cross and date, light corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$500-$750 247.

8 reales, 1728M. S-P44, KM-31

Two bold dates, bold assayer, good but slightly doubled cross, edge-split, light to moderate corrosion all over.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$225-$300

248.

4 reales, 1720Y. S-P43a, KM-30

Rare date (missing in Karon) that is full and clear, 2 full assayers, a bit worn and corroded but not terribly so.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$225-$300 249.

4 reales, 1724(Y).

S-P43a, KM-30

Scarce date, bold full pillars, some heavy corrosion and crude edge.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$225-$300 250.

4 reales, 1725(Y).

S-P43b, KM-A35

Small flan from wear and corrosion (pieces of edge missing) but with clear date, attributable to Louis I (not visible in legend), rare.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$175-$250 111

251.

4 reales, 1726Y. S-P43b, KM-A35

Rare as Louis I (not visible in legend), good cross and clear date, parts of edge corroded away.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$225-$300 252.

4 reales, 1730M. S-P44, KM-30a

Two full dates, good but doubled pillars, corroded cross.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$150-$225 253.

4 reales, 1733E, reversed E to right of cross.

S-P46, KM-30a

Rare error (the backwards E full and clear), two full dates, good full pillars and cross, minor corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$275-$350

254.

4 reales, 1740P. S-P48, KM-30a

Full date, good cross, clear assayer, a bit worn and corroded.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$150-$225 255.

2 reales, 1682V. S-P39, KM-24

Round flan with 2 dates, nice and well-centered detail, no corrosion but some flatness.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$135-$175 112

256.

2 reales, 1690VR. S-P40, KM-24

Bold date, 2 assayers, good but off-center cross, some moderate corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$115-$140 257.

2 reales, 1694VR. S-P40, KM-24

Two dates, big flan, nice detail but double-struck on both sides and lightly to moderately corroded.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$115-$140 258.

2 reales, 1697VR. S-P40, KM-24

Broad planchet with nice detail, 2 dates and assayers, no corrosion but some peripheral flatness.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$175-$225

259.

2 reales, 1700(F).

S-P42, KM-24

Bold date, weak cross, light corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$115-$140 260.

2 reales, 1706(Y).

S-P43a, KM-29

Clear date and part of another, full pillars and cross, light to moderate corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$115-$140

113

261.

2 reales, 1707Y. S-P43a, KM-29

Two full dates, some bold detail including -PVS of king’s name in legend, minimal corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$115-$140 262.

2 reales, 1712Y. S-P43a, KM-29

Two dates, some good detail despite doubling and pitting on both sides.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$100-$125 263.

2 reales, 1716Y. S-P43a, KM-29

Broad planchet, excellent full pillars with full crown above, 2 dates, 2½ assayers, some corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$100-$125

264.

2 reales, 1717Y. S-P43a, KM-29

Good full cross (slightly off-center), bold denomination, small flan, minimal corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$100-$125 265.

2 reales, 1718Y. S-P43a, KM-29

Excellent full cross, 2 dates, good full pillars, no corrosion but part of edge crude.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$115-$140

114

266.

2 reales, 1719Y. S-P43a, KM-29

Scarce date (clearly visible twice), moderately corroded but sold.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$100-$125 267.

2 reales, 1723Y. S-P43a, KM-29

Well-centered strike, good pillars and cross, bold date and assayer, 3 mintmarks, some localized corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$115-$140 268.

2 reales, 1724Y. S-P43a, KM-29

Clear date, well centered, nearly full cross, light corrosion all over.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$100-$125

269.

2 reales, 1725Y. S-P43b, KM-34

Rare Louis I, with clear “LVIS I� in legend, bold full date, off-center cross, practically no corrosion but some peripheral flatness.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$250-$325 270.

2 reales, 1726Y. S-P43b, KM-34

Scarce as Louis I (not visible in legend), round planchet with full cross, 2 dates, moderately corroded all over.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$150-$200

115

271.

2 reales, 1727Y. S-P43b, KM-34

Scarce as attributable to Louis I (not visible in legend), 2 dates, good cross and pillars but crude around edge, some corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$160-$210 272.

2 reales, 1728M. S-P44, KM-29

Good pillars, good but off-center cross, crude around edge, some corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$100-$125 273.

2 reales, 1729M. S-P44, KM-29a

Big flan with 2 clear dates, bold but off-center cross, good pillars and waves, king’s ordinal V in legend, crude from corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$115-$140

274.

2 reales, 1730M. S-P44, KM-29a

Full 4-digit second date in legend, good pillars and cross (the latter off-center), broad planchet, light to moderate corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$135-$175 275.

2 reales, 1731M. S-P44, KM-29a

Smallish planchet, good pillars, clear date, moderate corrosion all over.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$100-$125 116

276.

2 reales, 1732M. S-P44, KM-29a

Good pillars, 2 dates, moderate to heavy corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$120-$150 277.

2 reales, 1732YA. S-P45, KM-29a

Scarce 2-year assayer (clearly visible twice), good pillars, off-center cross, moderate corrosion all over.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$125-$160 278.

2 reales, 1733YA. S-P45, KM-29a

Scarce 2-year assayer, good cross and pillars, small planchet, moderately corroded.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$135-$175

279.

2 reales, 1733E, reversed E to right of cross.

S-P46, KM-29a

Scarce error (clear backwards E), bold date and most of another, full cross, moderately to heavily corroded all over.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$100-$125 280.

2 reales, 1733E, reversed E to right of cross.

S-P46, KM-29a

Scarce error (bold backwards E), 2 dates, broad planchet, some localized corrosion but also flatness.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$110-$135 117

281.

2 reales, 1734E. S-P46, KM-29a

Good pillars, 2 clear assayers, moderately to heavily corroded all over.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$80-$110 282.

2 reales, 1735(E).

S-P46, KM-29a

Bold date, decent cross despite moderate corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$100-$125 283.

2 reales, 1736E. S-P46, KM-29a

Nice full cross, 2 dates, interesting shape, light to moderate corrosion all over.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$80-$110

283a.

2 reales, 1736+37E. S-P46, KM-29a

Rare mule with 1736 date on cross side and 1737 date on pillars side, both dates quite clear, bold pillars, good but off-center cross, crude edge, no corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$175-$275 284.

2 reales, 1737M. S-P47, KM-29a

Nice and well-centered pillars, off-center cross, pitted all over.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$100-$125

118

285.

2 reales, 1738M, upside-down double-strike.

S-P47, KM-29a

Rare error with entire design doubled almost 180 degrees relative to first strike, bold details, small planchet, light to moderate corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$100-$125 286.

2 reales, 1739M. S-P47, KM-29a

Off-center strike, 2 dates, broad planchet with -PPVS of king’s name in legend, crude edge, some corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$100-$125 287.

1 real, 1683V. S-P39, KM-23

Broad planchet with 2 dates and assayers, choice cross and pillars, bold king’s ordinal II in legend, practically no corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$125-$150

288.

1 real, 1694VR. S-P40, KM-23

Two dates, 3 assayers, good pillars but weak cross from flatness and light corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$100-$125 288a.

1 real, 1698F. S-P42, KM-23

Very small planchet from moderate corrosion, good cross and pillars, clear date and 3 assayers.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$90-$120 119

289.

1 real, 1714Y. S-P43a, KM-28

Bold full cross and date, thin and crude from corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$90-$120 290.

1 real, 1722Y. S-P43a, KM-28

Clear date and assayer, good cross, thin from corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$90-$120 291.

1 real, 1723(Y).

S-P43a, KM-28

Good cross, 2 clear dates, small planchet, minimal corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$100-$125

292.

1 real, 1726Y. S-P43b, KM-33

Scarce as Louis I (not visible in legend), 2 dates, bold assayer, come corrosion and flatness.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$115-$140 293.

1 real, 1729M. S-P44, KM-28a

Clear date and 2 assayers, moderately corroded all over.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$90-$120

120

294.

1 real, 1730M. S-P44, KM-28a

Good cross and pillars despite moderate corrosion all over.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$90-$120 295.

1 real, 1731M. S-P44, KM-28a

Good full cross and pillars, crude edge, light corrosion only.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$90-$120 296.

1 real, 1732YA. S-P45, KM-28a

Scarce 2-year assayer, nice pillars and waves with bold date and assayer, cross heavily corroded.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$90-$120

297.

1 real, 1733YA. S-P45, KM-28a

Scarce 2-year assayer (missing in Karon), small planchet, good but off-center and moderately corroded cross, bold full assayer.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$100-$125 298.

1 real, 1734E. S-P46, KM-28a

Small planchet, full pillars-side date, moderate corrosion especially near edge.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$95-$115

121

299.

1 real, 1735(E).

S-P46, KM-28a

Bold pillars and date, good but off-center cross, moderate corrosion.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$80-$110 300.

1 real, 1739M. S-P47, KM-28a

Two dates, good but off-center cross, crude edge, light corrosion only.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$80-$110 301. ½ real, 1699.

S-P42, KM-22

Rare denomination from a shipwreck, bold date, most of monogram and cross, somewhat heart-shaped planchet, light corrosion with two large edge-splits.

With Pat Johnson Rare Coins certificate and insert-card.

$60-$90

St. Geran, sunk in 1744 off Mauritius, east of Africa

302.

Mexico, pillar 8 reales, Philip V, 1740MF. CT-703, KM-103

Rare provenance, lustrous UNC, couple small digs on surface, slightly off-center strike, gray toning all over.

From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$300-$500

122

Reijgersdaal, sunk in 1747 off South Africa

303.

Mexico, pillar 8 reales, Philip V, 1740MF. CT-703, KM-103

Very sea-worn and heavily corroded, darkly toned, but with all important details still visible.

From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$75-$125 304.

Mexico, pillar 8 reales, Philip V, 1742MF. CT-705, KM-103

Bold specimen with AU details, no toning, very light corrosion all over.

From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$150-$200

Dodington, sunk in 1755 off Port Elizabeth, South Africa

305.

Potosí, Bolivia, cob ½ real, Philip V, 174?.

KM-27a

Rare denomination from a shipwreck, good full cross and monogram but weak date, lightly corroded.

With (undated) certificate #00128 from the salvager (Grant Conradie). From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$75-$100 306.

Mexico, pillar 8 reales, Philip V, 1745MF. CT-708, KM-103

Unusually high quality from this wreck (best we have seen), no corrosion, some spotty toning, minor edge-flaw.

From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$200-$300 123

307.

Mexico, pillar 8 reales, Ferdinand VI, 1750MF. CT-289, KM-104.1

Much more typical quality for this wreck: moderately corroded (especially around the edge), silvery, with scrape on pillars side, but all important details clear.

From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$125-$175 308.

Mexico, pillar 8 reales, Ferdinand VI, 1750MF. CT-289, KM-104.1

Typically corroded around the edge (not so much on the interior surfaces), bold details, some toning.

From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$125-$175

Tilbury, sunk in 1757 off Nova Scotia, Canada

309.

Lima, Peru, cob 8 reales, 1721(M).

S-L20, KM-34

Rare date (clear despite mostly flat strike), typically lightly to moderately corroded with not much contrast but with important details visible.

With original color certificate from the 1980s hand-signed by Pierre LeClerc.

$200-$300 310.

Mexico, pillar 8 reales, Ferdinand VI, 1754MM, different crowns atop pillars.

CT-294, KM-104.2

Better toning than most (XF details) but also with light to moderate corrosion all over, slightly bent.

With original color certificate from the 1980s hand-signed by Pierre LeClerc.

$150-$250 124

311.

Lima, Peru, pillar 8 reales, Ferdinand VI, 1755JM. CT-280, KM-55.1

Frosty (lustrous) surfaces peeking through moderate corrosion (AXF details), couple scratches and slight warping.

With original color certificate from the 1980s hand-signed by Pierre LeClerc.

$150-$250

Athenienne, sunk in 1806 off Sicily

312.

Lima, Peru, bust 8 reales, Charles IV, 1803IJ. CT-634, KM-97

Better assayer for date, typically moderately corroded and darkly toned, but wreck provenance not 100% certain (uncertified).

From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$50-$100

125

Fame, sunk in 1822 off South Africa

313.

PotosĂ­, Bolivia, cob 8 reales, 1765V-(Y).

S-P57, KM-45

Clear date, full cross, typically chunky, but with large section of edge lost to corrosion, darkly toned, wreck provenance not 100% certain (uncertified). $75-$100

Unidentified ca.-1850 wreck off the Dominican Republic

314.

U.S.A., seated Liberty half dollar, 1844-O. KM-68

XF details but very lightly corroded with patchy toning and encrustation (needs cleaning). $50-$75 315.

U.S.A., seated Liberty half dollar, 1847-O. KM-68

XF+ details under dark toning and hint of corrosion, bits of encrustation (needs cleaning). $60-$90

126

Elingamite, sunk in 1902 off New Zealand

316.

Set of New Zealand half crown (1900), florin (1900), and shilling (1882), housed in a custom Lucite holder with wreck and coin info (1 of 500 sets made).

From the Bruce Prior Collection of Shipwreck Coins.

$150-$250

127

OTHER SILVER COINS Featuring selections from the Joseph R. Lasser Collection of Colombian Cobs ABBASID DYNASTY

317.

Al-Muhammadiyah (Tehran), dirhm, dated 186AH (802 AD), Harun al-Rashid (170-193 AH).

VF+, popular as a Viking trade coin (traded for fur and slaves). $25-$50

BOLIVIA SHIELD-TYPE COBS

318.

Potosí, 8 reales, 16(18), PxT, denomination as “o8” to right.

S-P21, KM-10

Rare and interesting one-year denomination variety, Fine+ with full shield and PxT and o8, full but doubled cross, clear 16 of date, orange sediment in crevices.

From the ca.-1629 “Panama hoard.”

$150-$250 319.

Potosí, 8 reales, Philip IV, P+T (ca. 1620), quadrants of cross transposed.

S-P21, KM-10

Very rich, dark tone all over (quite attractive) and nice strike with full shield and cross, AVF, non-salvage but same type of coin as from the Atocha (1622). $150-$200 128

320.

Potosí, 8 reales, Philip IV, P+P (1622-23), upper half of shield and quadrants of cross transposed.

S-P22, KM-10

Rare transposition error, choice non-salvage VF with full and bold shield and cross, full PxP, oval shape, lightly toned. $200-$300 321.

Potosí, 4 reales, Philip IV, P-T (ca. 1628).

S-P24, KM-17a

Nice full shield and cross, attractively toned VF+. $125-$175

322.

Potosí, ¼ real, Philip II, assayer B to left, mintmark P to right, “Great Module” style of assayer B (2nd period).

S-P6, KM-B0001

Rare type, worn (About Fine) and slightly doubled but with important elements clear, holed near edge. $150-$250 323.

Potosí, ¼ real, Philip III?, no mintmark or assayer, no shield around lion.

Rare type and variety that some still attribute to Colombia, small planchet with clear full castle and lion, bits of legend including king’s name PHILI(PPVS), nicely toned AVF. $200-$500

129

PILLARS-AND-WAVES COBS

324.

Potosí, 8 reales, 1689VR. S-P40, KM-26

Excellent pillars (bold date), off-center and slightly doubled cross (second date below), 2 assayers and mintmarks, bold king’s ordinal II in legend, AXF. $175-$250 325.

Potosí, 8 reales, 1691VR. S-P40, KM-26

Choice specimen with beautiful dark toning on fields, full cross and pillars, 2 dates, 3 mintmarks, well-centered strike. $400-$600

326.

Potosí, 8 reales, 1722(Y).

S-P43a, KM-31

Scarce date (clear), most of cross but otherwise very flat (crude strike), despite fairly high grade (VF), some toning. $150-$200 327.

Potosí, 8 reales, 1754C. S-P53, KM-40

Scarce 2-year assayer, bold full cross, 2 dates, a bit worn (Fine) but nicely toned. $175-$250

130

328.

Potosí, ½ real, 1683.

S-P39, KM-22

Very odd, elongated shape, full monogram and cross, 2 dates, decent detail, AVF. $30-$60 329.

Potosí, ½ real, 1712.

S-P43a, KM-27

Rare date (missing in Sellschopp) clear and bold, nearly full monogram, messy cross, crude Fine with some toning. $50-$70

MILLED BUST TYPE

330.

Potosí, 8 reales, Charles IV, 1793PR. CT-670, KM-73

Indecipherable countermark below ear, About Fine with weak centers, crude rim. $50-$75

131

BRAZIL

331.

Pernambuco, 640 reis, 1700/1699, mintmark P in center.

KM-90.2 (for type)

Unlisted overdate, beautifully toned AVF, could be rare. $150-$250

COLOMBIA SHIELD-TYPE COBS

332.

Bogot谩, 8 reales, (16)32, NR-A to left, quadrants of cross transposed.

S-B5, RL-M44S for type, KM-3.3 for type

Very rare (date unlisted in Lasser and KM), clear 3 and bottom half of 2 of date, full shield and cross, darkly toned and lightly corroded from salvage.

From the Concepci贸n (1641), with certificate, and pedigreed to the Joseph R. Lasser collection of Colombian cobs.

$750-$1,000 333.

Cartagena, 8 reales, Philip IV, C-E to right (1630s).

S-C3, RL-M45C-15, KM-3.4

Weak but certain mintmark-assayer, full shield and cross, toned AVF. $500-$750

132

334.

Cartagena, 4 reales, (16)28 (possibly 8/7), RN-E to left.

S-C3, RL-M36C-2, KM-2.4

Rare, with full but weak 28 of date and RN mintmark, broad planchet, full crown and shield and cross, AVF with some toning.

Plate Coin in CT and pedigreed to the Joseph R. Lasser collection of Colombian cobs.

$900-$1,200 335.

Cartagena, 4 reales, full-date 1630, RN-E to right.

S-C3, RL-M36C-3, KM-2.4

Very rare with full and bold date, full RN-E, full cross and planchet, lightly toned XF on an odd-shaped flan.

Pedigreed to the Joseph R. Lasser collection of Colombian cobs.

$1,300-$1,700 336.

Cartagena, 4 reales, (16)30, RN-E to right.

S-C3, RL-M36C-3, KM-2.4

Rare, bottom half of 30 of date clear, full but slightly double shield, off-center cross, odd thick planchet with right-angle split in edge, non-toned VF. Pedigreed to the Joseph R. Lasser collection of Colombian cobs.

$900-$1,200

337.

Cartagena, 2 reales, (16)34, C-E to right, flip-over double-strike.

S-C3, RL-M29C-10, KM-A6.3

Very rare with bold 34 of date, round flan with full shield and cross and second strike of each on opposite side, toned and high grade (no corrosion) from salvage.

From the Concepción (1641), with certificate, Plate Coin in CT (#729c) and RL (p. 113), and pedigreed to the Joseph R. Lasser collection of Colombian cobs.

$600-$900 338.

Bogotá, 1 real, 162?, NR to left, (P) to right (Pinto, 1627-29).

S-B4, RL-M20S-6, KM-5

Nice full shield and cross, small but perfect •N•R• mintmark, attractively toned VF. Pedigreed to the Joseph R. Lasser collection of Colombian cobs.

$300-$500 133

339.

Bogotá, 1 real, Philip IV, NR to left, I-R to right (Ramos, 1642-51).

S-B6, RL-M20S-30, KM-5

Variety with no dot between denomination I and assayer R, nice full cross and shield, VF with toning and encrustation.

Pedigreed to the Joseph R. Lasser collection of Colombian cobs.

$200-$300

PILLARS-AND-WAVES COBS

340.

Cartagena, 8 reales, (1655), C-S to right.

S-C4, RL-M48C-2, KM-7.2

Very rare, the pillars side (where the date would be) practically worn away but the shield side remarkably clear, with full VIII denomination to left and bold full •C•S• mintmark-assayer to right, nicely darkly toned.

From the Maravillas (1656), with certificate, Plate Coin in Sedwick (3rd ed.).

$1,250-$1,750 341.

Bogotá, 8 reales, full-date 1665, assayer PoRS, with “Golden Fleece” countermark of Brabant (Spanish Netherlands, 1652-72, 48 stuivers) on pillars side.

S-B7, RL-46S-40, KM-7.1

Extremely rare combination of host and countermark and a very choice, highly pedigreed specimen, with full and bold date and mintmark and countermark, nearly full assayer, full pillars, full but doubled shield, thick flan, toned VF+, one of the jewels of the Lasser collection.

Plate coin in Calbetó’s Compendium VIII reales (1970) and RL (p. 66), with Calicó (1959) and Christensen (1981) auction pedigrees, and pedigreed to the Joseph R. Lasser collection of Colombian cobs.

$5,000-$7,000

134

342.

Bogotá, 8 reales, 1668, assayer PoRS. S-B7a, RL-M62S-4, KM-12

Rare with clear date, bold mintmark, full crown above doubled shield (pillars side a bit doubled too), darkly toned but no corrosion from salvage.

Probably from the Piedmont (1795) but uncertified, and pedigreed to the Joseph R. Lasser collection of Colombian cobs.

$2,500-$4,000 343.

Bogotá, 2 reales, Philip V, no assayer-mark (Sánchez, 1724-5).

S-B13, RL-M72S-4, KM-19

Rare issue with 2 different mintmarks (NoR between, F-S outside pillars) and denominations (Arabic 2 to left, Roman II to right of shield), full central details, bold king’s ordinal V (but not much else) in legend, nicely toned Fine with peripheral hole.

Pedigreed to the Joseph R. Lasser collection of Colombian cobs.

$300-$500

344.

Bogotá, ½ real, Philip IV?, partial date (16?)2?

Rare with lions and castles in proper quadrants, hazy final digit of date (looks like a 2), most of cross (Good or so) but practically blank (Poor) monogram side. $75-$100 345.

Bogotá, ½ real, Philip IV, date not visible.

Quadrants of cross typically transposed, nearly full cross, most of monogram, worn (VG+) and darkly toned all over. $75-$100 346.

Bogotá, ¼ real, Philip IV, (1651).

S-B7, RL-M14S-2, KM-A7

Very rare issue attributable to 1651 due to the fact that the lion and castle punches match those seen on the 8 reales of this date, this coin small, with off-center strike but clear lion and castle, lightly toned Fine. $500-$700

135

GREAT BRITAIN

347.

London, England, shilling, Elizabeth I (1558-1603), 5th issue, mintmark woolpack (1594-6).

Sp-2577

AVF with several old scratches. Shillings like this are popular with numismatists but also appeal to the general public who have seen Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean movies and can appreciate the fact the only real coins shown in the movie are English shillings. $90-$120 348.

London, England, shilling, Charles I (1625-1649), Tower mint (triangle-within-circle mintmark, 1641-3).

Sp-2793

Fine+ with weak bust and several old scratches. Shillings like this are popular with numismatists but also appeal to the general public who have seen Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean movies and can appreciate the fact the only real coins shown in the movie are English shillings. $50-$75

MEXICO CHARLES-JOANNA PILLARS TYPE

349.

Mexico City, 4 reales, “Early Series,” assayer Rincón (R in middle below pillars).

S-M1, KM-16

Among the finest known, with full and bold legends, full inner details, practically no doubling, attractively toned XF, bold backwards N in legend, probably salvaged but no oxidation at all.

Probably from the “Golden Fleece wreck” of ca. 1550 (uncertified).

$3,000-$5,000

136

350.

Mexico City, ½ real, “Early Series,” assayer F to right of monogram.

S-M3, KM-0006

Extremely rare issue, the oMo mintmark to left of KI monogram very clear but the oFo assayer to right weak (a definite match with other known specimens), broad planchet, About Fine with lots of flat spots, but not corroded or damaged in any way. $900-$1,200 351.

Mexico City, ½ real, “Late Series,” assayer G to right of monogram.

S-M5a, KM-0006.5

Scarce type, broad planchet with much legend, nice natural toning, but only VG+ and slightly wrinkled. $125-$175

SHIELD-TYPE COBS

352.

Mexico City, 4 reales, Philip II, oMO. S-M11, KM-36

Good full shield and crown and cross, much legend with part of king’s ordinal II (doubled), non-toned VF. $125-$175

137

TRANSITIONAL KLIPPE TYPE

353.

Mexico City, 8 reales, 1733MF. S-M28, KM-48

Very choice specimen, lovely strike and contrasting toning, not terribly high grade (AXF), and with typical hole in very center of crown, but very nicely centered and with 90%+ of the legend visible (including the date and a full crown) in addition to the full central detail. $750-$1,000

MILLED PILLAR DOLLAR TYPE

354.

Mexico City, 8 reales, Charles III, 1770FM. CT-830, KM-105

Well-struck AVF with small dig in field next to left pillar, no toning. $175-$250 355.

Mexico City, 8 reales, Charles III, 1771FM. CT-831, KM-105

Lightly toned but worn VG with hole and/or solder-mark on penultimate digit of date. $50-$100

138

MILLED BUST TYPE

356.

Mexico City, 8 reales, Charles III, 1772FM, initials facing rim.

CT-834, KM-106.1

Decent Fine, no problems. $100-$150 357.

Mexico City, 8 reales, Charles III, 1774FM. CT-837. KM-106.2

Good VF+ with old plugged hole near rim. $75-$125

358.

Mexico City, 8 reales, Charles III, 1788FM. CT-855, KM-106.2a

Nice AVF, no problems. $75-$125 359.

Mexico City, 8 reales, Charles IV, 1794FM. CT-649, KM-109

VF with crude, spotty toning. $50-$75

139

360.

Mexico City, 8 reales, Charles IV, 1796FM. CT-651, KM-109

Attractively toned VF. $75-$125

REPUBLIC

361.

Hermosillo, cap-and-rays 8 reales, 1891FG. KM-377.9

Lustrous AXF with small chopmarks and light graffiti. $25-$40

PERU

362.

Lima, cob 8 reales, 1659V, “Star of Lima� type.

S-L5, KM-18.1

Rare as non-salvage, variety with 8-V flanking pillars and L-star-M above full date in between, very broad planchet with excellent full crown above pillars, full cross, some minor doubling, nicely toned VF. $1,500-$2,000 140

363.

Lima, cob 8 reales, 1735N. S-L21, KM-34a

Small, thick planchet with clear date and mintmark, off-center cross, VF with flat peripheries and a patch of dark encrustation on rim. $250-$350 364.

Lima, cob 4 reales, 1736(N).

S-L21, KM-33A

Bold date, good cross, VF with some flatness, crude edge (as made). $250-$350 365.

Lima, cob 2 reales, 1731N. S-L21, KM-32a

Broad, lemon-shaped planchet with nearly full cross, 2 clear dates, Fine with flatness near edges, some toning. $100-$150

SAMANID DYNASTY 366.

Bukhara, dirhm, dated 336 AH (948 AD), Nuh II (943-954 AD).

AXF, popular as a Viking trade coin (traded for fur and slaves). $25-$50

141

SPAIN

367.

Seville, 4 reales, Ferdinand-Isabel, assayer Gothic P. CT-179

Nicely toned Fine with full and bold shield and yoke-and-arrows (clear assayer to right), but holed and cut down (10.3 grams). $50-$75

MEDALS PERTAINING TO SHIPWRECKS

368.

Great Britain, steel medal commemorating the sinking of the Lusitania (1916).

About 2" in diameter and 1/8" thick, made in imitation of a German propaganda medal made after the sinking of the Lusitania in 1916, with a depiction of the disaster on one side with German wording announcing the sinking of the Lusitania in exergue, and a scene of passengers buying tickets from a skeletal Cunard attendant on the other side, perfect condition save for some tiny rust spots. $50-$75

142

369.

Turks & Caicos Islands, 1960s silver restrike of 1687 Phips medal.

Famously in 1687 the American salvager William Phips located the Spanish wreck of the Concepción at the Silver Shoals north of Hispaniola and recovered tons of silver from it to the enrichment of the English crown (James II) and of Phips’ financier in the venture, the Duke of Albemarle. Almost immediately, and probably from the silver that was recovered, large medals were struck and presented to the “officers and promoters” of Phips’ venture. These medals are rare and highly sought, bringing prices in the thousands of dollars, but almost equally rare (due to large-scale melting for scrap silver in the late 1970s and early 1980s) are the official restrikes issued by the Turks and Caicos Islands (who were trying to lay claim to the wreck) in the 1960s, such as the one on offer here. Measuring 2-1/8" in diameter and 3/16" thick, 104.9 grams of presumably .999 pure silver, and numbered 0048 on the edge, this medal depicts the king and queen on the obverse and a salvage scene on the reverse and is in 100% perfect condition with very elegant rainbow toning.

In original red clamshell case.

$200-$300

143

ARTIFACTS (mostly from shipwrecks)

Please note that each of the following items is subject to a $5 per lot surcharge (to make up for extra packaging and handling). Also please note that some of these items (as noted) are heavy and/or cannot be shipped via normal methods (pickup in person is recommended), and that shipping is solely at the buyer’s expense. (NOTE: PHOTOS OF LARGE ITEMS IN THIS SECTION ARE NOT ACTUAL SIZE.)

370.

Original 16th-century iron treasure chest.

This type of chest is popularly known as an “armada chest,” which is misleading because these chests were generally too heavy and cumbersome to take aboard ships (but read on…). More appropriately these chests are also referred to as “Nuremburg chests” for the fact that they were manufactured in Germany in the late 1500s and early 1600s. Somehow the chests became associated with Spain more than anywhere else, probably because Spain (which called a chest like this an “arcón”) was the conduit for many thousands of chestfuls of treasure in the 16th and 17th centuries, giving rise to the Victorian notion that these chests were brought over on the Spanish Armada of 1588. This specific chest, in fact, was carried to America long ago by Irish immigrants who believed it had come to their family from an Armada shipwreck off the Irish shore. While I cannot prove or disprove this provenance, it seems far more likely that the chest was simply purchased in the 1500s and used to hold treasure in a castle or manor house in Ireland or England. The condition of the chest, in any case, is incredible: fully operational locking mechanism consisting of 12 deadbolt “dogs” thrown by one key in the top as well as a simpler lock in the top of an interior compartment on the left side (both keys present), false lock in front, swinging bar inside to hold the lid up, rounded handles at each end and two loops in front latched to the top for securing a bar, faded and dusty exterior (straps and rivets design) with what looks like the original olivegreen paint on the outside, red on the inside, rusty along the bottom 2" or so but otherwise very solid and heavy (over 200 pounds?), about 30" x 18" x 18". The previous owners cleverly crafted a glass top with a hole for the key so that the chest may be used as a coffee table—and what a conversation piece! Also accompanying the chest (along with some other research materials) is a slightly tattered copy of the December, 1928, issue of International Studio magazine, containing an article that pictures a nearly identical chest with the caption of “Spanish Sea-Chest.” (Too heavy and bulky for normal shipping methods.) $15,000-$20,000

144

145

371.

Stoneware jug (ca. 1620) from the Solent (south of England).

This cute, brown jug measures about 11" tall and about 7" at its widest diameter, and is of the design of the well-known and popular “bellarmine” type, but without the grotesque face on the neck. The lip and handle are intact and the sides are all there, but a close examination will reveal that a lateral portion was repaired in its own time, the crack finely separated but encrusted over (hence could not have been done after salvage). The underlying brown color is nicely contrasted with a light film of barnacle “footprints” (as well as some remaining barnacles). $500-$750

146

372.

Ornate silver incense bowl from the Atocha (1622).

This attractive artifact is of moderate size (about 2¼” in diameter across the top and 1¾” tall, in the form of a wide, decorated bowl atop a narrow pedestal), but is very ornate, well preserved, solid and heavy. Undoubtedly it was part of the significant Church cargo on board the Atocha, whose artifacts of this caliber are quite elusive and highly coveted. Accompanying the bowl is a small (1" x ½”) tubular piece that was once attached inside the bowl for securing the incense.

With full-color Fisher hologram photo-certificate #1368 from 2002, as well as a brief archeological analysis (in color) of tableware such as this item from the Atocha.

$6,000-$7,000

373.

Gold/emerald dress-mount from the Atocha (1622).

One of the standouts in the Christie’s (New York) Atocha auction of June 14-15, 1988, was a set of 18 of these gold-and-emerald dress mounts (spread over 12 lots), which the Christie’s cataloger felt were sewn on the dresses of nobility in the early 17th century. Each dress-mount, like the one here, was S-shaped and scroll-like, with traces of enamel, containing an approximately 1-carat table-cut emerald in a box setting, about 5/8" x ½” x ¼” overall, with a small loop on the back. Perfect condition, the emerald quite clear and green.

With full-color Treasure Salvors photo-certificate #147 from 1986, as well as a 1995 appraisal from DuBose Dempsey Jewelers in Vero Beach for $18,000.

$5,500-$6,750 147

374.

Gold/aquamarine ring from the Atocha (1622).

One tends to forget that emeralds were not the only gems found on the Atocha, and here we have an example of an aquamarine, a large, square stone of shimmering light-blue color, mounted in a classical (clean and sharp), high-karat (22K?) gold ring-setting, the stone a little chipped but the ring itself perfectly intact and wearable, the interior diameter varying between 11/16" and ¾”.

With full-color Fisher hologram photo-certificate #62892 (undated).

$5,000-$7,500

375.

Raw emerald, .96 carat, from the Atocha (1622).

A beautiful, naturally hexagonal crystal, almost ¼” long, very green and clear (not all washed out like most), potentially gem quality for mounting.

With full-color Fisher hologram photo-certificate #E552 from 2001.

$500-$1,000

376.

Iron arquebus barrel from the Atocha (1622).

Weaponry from the Atocha is very rare, and this is the first actual rifle we have ever seen, although of course it is incomplete, the wooden parts long since disintegrated but the long (about 46") iron gun-barrel still more or less intact (only a small piece missing from the muzzle) and well preserved (electrolytically treated and sealed).

The cross-section is octagonal and tapers from about 2" to about 1" in diameter. All those lead musket-balls you see from this wreck were meant to be shot from a rifle like this one!

With full-color Fisher hologram photo-certificate #51539 from 2002.

$1,250-$1,500

148

377.

Iron cannonball from the Atocha (1622).

Approximately 3¾” in diameter, 7 pounds, perfectly round and well preserved (electrolytically treated and then sealed), black in color.

With full-color Fisher hologram photo-certificate #62058 from 2007 and yellow plastic division tag.

$500-$750

378.

Gold flowerette from the Santa Margarita (1622).

Hemispherical (about 3/8" radius), consisting of 6 open “petals” and a central hole, high-karat gold (22K?), simple design but sharply executed and perfectly preserved (traces of encrustation inside), most likely part of a rosary chain.

With full-color Fisher hologram photo-certificate #57295 from 2001.

$500-$750 149

379.

Bronze cannonball from the Capitana (1654).

The bronze cannonballs from this shipwreck were a stunning find, for no wreck so far had ever yielded anything but iron cannonballs. Theories as to why far more valuable bronze was used for the cannonballs on this ship ranged from a lack of iron foundries in Peru to the rusting of unused iron cannonballs on the relatively battlefree Pacific coast. Whatever their purpose, we have to consider these bronze balls to be quite rare, with an established market value much higher than for their iron counterparts. Also, the bronze lasted far better under the sea, and this piece is a perfect example: 100% solid and uncorroded (4" in diameter), just with tiny spots of green on the dark-bronze-colored surface. Oddly, and unlike the other bronze balls we have seen, this one shows three unexplainable alterations (done before the wreck): a 2" long slice into the surface (perhaps to confirm it was solid bronze?); a 1" diameter flattened area (to keep it from rolling?); and a small circular spot with two holes about ½� apart (for securing it to another ball to make a chain shot?). $750-$1,000

150

380.

Wooden “arcón” chest, ca. 1680-1700, and smaller, matching companion chest.

Rare and substantial piece of furniture (essentially) that was the main mode of storing and shipping valuables overseas in the late 17th century. The large chest is 44" long, 22" wide, and 25" tall, weighs 77 pounds, and was used to store and carry a gentleman’s weapons and armor, the iron locking mechanism on the front still operational with the original key. Of particular significance are a set of grooves on the bottom of the chest that were used to stabilize the chest on board a ship, as well as expert dovetailing work for the corner joints and a series of 4 incuse chevrons (branded on) on top that were an identifying tool in case the chest was lost or stolen.

The smaller chest measures only 14" x 7½” x 7½” and 5½ pounds, but is a matched companion (without the chevrons and grooves and with slightly different hinges) to the larger one in terms of design and workmanship (obviously they have been together since they were made), with its own fully operational lock and key, used for storing coins and jewelry. The interiors of both chests have a small, lidded compartment attached to the left side (like on the “armada chest” above) for smaller items. Both chests are in excellent condition for their age and are perfect examples of what shipwreck chests look like before the effects of teredo worms and rot. Note also that artifacts like this are no longer legal to take out of Peru since its 1993 ban on the exportation of national treasures. (Too bulky for normal shipping methods.)

Pedigreed to the estate of Raúl Sticks Barrenechea (1897-1960), Peruvian academic, author, ambassador to Spain (1948), senator (1956, chairman in 1957), and top delegate to the United Nations (1959). The two chests had remained in the same family for over 200 years and were brought to the U.S. in the 1980s.

$10,000-$12,000

151

381.

Bottom half of a gold reliquary box from the 1715 Fleet.

An ornate little gem, oval in shape, about 1½” long by 1-1/8" wide and ½” tall, with intricate scrollwork engraving around the outside but plain on the back and inside, clearly half of a box but archeological research shows that the intention of the box (as a sort of locket) was to hold a religious relic (like a piece of a saint’s hair or bone, or simply a miniature painting or figurine), and its composition of apparently high-grade gold (22K or higher, 22.6 grams) lends credence to its importance. Then again, remember that gold and silver from the New World were heavily taxed by the crown...UNLESS they were for the Church! For value, compare with the very few entire gold boxes found (generally retained by the State of Florida if found in Florida waters) that easily appraise at $100,000! Perfect condition (no dents or bends or breaks) save for some light red surface staining.

With 1991 photo-certificate from archeologist James J. Sinclair.

$4,000-$5,000

152

382.

Large conglomerate of bronze carpenter’s chisel and other tools from the 1715 Fleet.

A massive clump, roughly 10" x 7½� x 5" and 12 pounds, containing an 8" long round-head bronze chisel (more than half exposed and perfectly preserved) and the remains of many other iron objects (manifest in the form of at least 13 rusted-out holes on the sides), possibly just spikes but also possibly tools of some sort, a very impressive display.

From the Regla site, with full-color photo-certificate from Braxx Freeman of Treasure Stores of Key West, Inc.

$350-$500

153

383.

Lead hull-sheathing from the 1715 Fleet.

The main drawback to using wooden-hulled ships (which are rarely seen today) is that the dreaded teredo worm can make a meal of them in short order. To deter that from happening, the mariners of the 15th through 18th centuries would wrap their hulls in lead sheathing, and of course when the ship sank and rotted away, the lead would remain. This lot represents a large, rectangular section, about 31" x 10", loaded with orange shells on one side, and with one edge rolled into a lip. Like all lead, it is very pliable and should be handled carefully.

With full-color Fisher photo-certificate #44964.

$150-$200

154

384.

Lead cannon vent cover from the 1715 Fleet.

Researchers of cannons will recognize this as a device used along with a tompion (see lot #390 below) to keep the powder dry inside loaded and ready cannons—akin to a “cocked” gun—as they were typically kept during a voyage through dangerous waters. It measures about 8" x 5" x 3" and weighs about 5 pounds and was designed so that it wrapped about ¾ around the cannon, over the touchhole near the cascabel, with holes in the bottom for tying it tight. It appears to be intact, but of course like all lead artifacts it is very pliable and prone to cracking. $150-$250 385.

Gold jewelry pieces from the Guadalupe-Tolosa (1724).

This lot consists of three pieces of gold-wire jewelry parts, all high-grade gold (22K?), and all three with a (still operational) mechanism for opening and closing (like a keychain), as follows: (1) plain and round, about 1" in diameter, medium gauge, 3.6 grams; (2) round, about 5/8" in diameter, thin gauge but with thicker, reeded design at top surmounted by a loop, 0.8 gram; and (3) long clip, about 1-3/8", with finial-type junction at top surmounted by a swivel loop of about ¼” diameter, 3.2 grams. $500-$1,000 386.

Highly ornate gold ribbon-pin with Madonna inside oval reliquary from the 1733 Fleet.

Basically two pieces of different-color gold, the ribbon-pin part (at top) about 1½” x 7/8" x ¼” and with floral design on front and pin on back, below which hangs the Madonna part, about 1" x 7/8" x ¼”, with radiate figure (in prayer) inside a chamber that was once enclosed with glass (the locking pin at bottom missing) which probably once contained some small holy relic, surrounded by a floral wreath around the outside (matching the pin), the whole item completely intact and lightly dusted all over with bits of white coral, obviously a significant religious artifact, perhaps the property of a lofty Church dignitary aboard the 1733 fleet.

With a photo-certificate from archeologist James J. Sinclair.

$10,000-$15,000 155

156

387.

Brass bowl from a cocoa set, cleaned, from the 1733 Fleet.

The finds from period wrecks have shown that hot cocoa was a popular shipboard drink in the 17th and early 18th centuries, as evidenced by dedicated copper cocoa pitchers, brass bowls, and wooden frothers (a malletlike swizzle stick). This bowl and the one in the next lot were found together in a big clump, obviously the remains of a matched set. Each bowl measures about 7½” in diameter and 3" tall, with two opposing pairs of holes near the top for small iron handles (rusted away). This cleaned specimen shows an etched spiral pattern on the outside and is in near-perfect condition (not bent or damaged), very brassy but with tiny spots of verdigris and very minor pitting.

From the “Coffins Patch” site, with original (but generic) certificate signed by the salvager (Bill Wood).

$250-$500

NOTE: PITCHER, CONGLOMERATE, AND HANDLE IN PHOTO ARE NOT FOR SALE.

388.

Brass bowl from a cocoa set, uncleaned, from the 1733 Fleet.

Another bowl from the same set as the above (same size and shape and spiral pattern) but uncleaned, with significant areas of white and black encrustation both inside and out and with copper rivets where the handleholes are on the cleaned specimen, also in great condition (not bent or damaged).

From the “Coffins Patch” site, with original (but generic) certificate signed by the salvager (Bill Wood).

$250-$500

157

389.

Iron “carronade” cannon, English, ca. 1780-90.

Very rare small-sized cannon, in perfect condition, about 31½” long, 6" in diameter at the breech, 2¼” bore, and about 125 pounds in weight. Between the first and second reinforcement is a raised crown marking with an “I” below it. Essentially this piece is a study in the elements of any standard shipboard cannon (rounded cascabel with lifting handle, cylindrical trunnions on either side, muzzle, reinforcements, etc.) but in a relatively small, manageable size, and of course without the tremendous rusting loss that characterizes shipwreck cannons.

The “carronade” was so named for the Carron foundry at Falkirk, Scotland, where it was invented and first made in 1762 and came into British service in 1779. (Too heavy and bulky for normal shipping methods.)

From an unidentified British naval vessel of the late 18th century.

$3,000-$4,000

390.

Wood tompion from the Colossus (1798).

This curious wooden plug was used (along with a lead vent cover—see lot #384 above) to seal off a loaded cannon. This particular tompion must have been for a gun of a rather large bore (which is where the plug went), as it measures about 5½” in diameter (about 1¼” thick). Most importantly, on one side it shows the markings “PR” above “32” and “No.” The unmarked side is loaded with rusty residue (gunpowder?), while the marked side is rather clean, with some cracks (as expected) and small piece of edge missing, but otherwise intact. Rare to find a wooden artifact from a wreck (probably spared by the electrolytic influence of the cannon it was in), especially so from this wreck. $150-$250

158

391.

Bronze “lantaka” cannon (rail gun), late 1700s-early 1800s.

As bronze cannons go, these swivel-gun “lantakas”—mostly cast in the Netherlands for trading for spices in Indonesia, and fully operational but also generally used as bridal dowries and other displays of wealth (affluence through weaponry!)—are probably the easiest cannons to come by, but this one is a beauty with a rare crocodile motif near the touchhole. It is also of an unusually large size, being 75 pounds, over 47" in length, up to 5" in diameter, but still the usual 1" bore, with typical yoke-type swivel, flared muzzle, front and rear sights, and tubular cascabel. The color is an even dark bronze, in perfect condition. (Too heavy and bulky for normal shipping methods.) $3,750-$4,750

392.

Bronze buckle from the Admiral Gardner (1809).

Simple artifact, but unique from this wreck, which yielded hundreds of thousands of copper coins but practically no artifacts! Rectangular, about 1-3/8" x 1¼” overall and the metal itself about ¼” wide, with lots of debris and encrustation still appended. $25-$50

159

393.

Brass box (half) from the Medina (sunk 1917).

This piece was part of the “Medina Cargo,” offered at auction by Sotheby’s (London) on May 26, 1988, being the 1987 recoveries from the wreck of the Royal Mail steamer Medina, which was carrying the personal belongings of Lord Carmichael, Governor of Bengal, India, when it was torpedoed and sunk (with just 5 casualties) off Plymouth, England, on April 28, 1917, during World War I. The box measures about 5" x 3" x 1" and is of very thin and light metal, a muted yellow in color but with staining to bespeak its 70 years in the water, otherwise perfectly intact.

With lot sticker from the Sotheby’s auction of 1988.

$25-$50

160

BOOKS AND CATALOGS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS Please note that each of the following is subject to a $5 per lot surcharge to make up for extra packaging and handling. Also note that all books and catalogs are UNRESERVED (no minimum bid)!

MAPS/DOCUMENTS/PRINTS 394.

Pair of 18th-century Spanish ship prints.

A lovely matched set of original, hand-colored prints from the 1700s, each in an approximately 17" x 21" darkwood frame with glass, both depicting Spanish galleons with their sails and masts keyed to a legend that names and describes them (in Spanish). One print is entitled navio de tercera linea a la vela (“third-rate ship of the line under sail”) and the other is entitled navio de primera linea con bandera de vice almirante (“first-rate ship of the line with flag of the vice admiral”). Spanish shipwreck researchers should find these drawings to be useful references for the structure of the ships and their sails. The prints themselves are in nice condition (a little warping and minute spotting), the frames a little worn but quite presentable), both ready for hanging on your walls! Sold as a set of two prints only. $1,500-$2,000

BOOKS 395.

Pieces of Eight, by Kip Wagner, Longmans edition (London, 1967).

The original—and best—book about the 1715 Fleet and the 1960s salvage team Real Eight Company.

Hardbound, with dust jacket, 221 pages, good condition. $30-$50 396.

Canada’s Treasure Hunt, by Alex Storm (1967).

The story of the Chameau (1725) and its salvagers off Nova Scotia, Canada. Paperback, 152 pages, excellent condition. $20-$30 161

397.

Sunken Treasure, by Roland Morris, three different editions with different covers, sold as a lot of 3 only (no date).

A rare complete collection of the three editions (the first two entitled Sunken Treasure and the last one entitled Treasure Trove Islands) of this useful pamphlet about the sinkings and salvages of the Association (1707) and the Colossus (1798). Each is paperback, 32 pages, new condition. $75-$150 398.

The “Onza” Main Book, 1st edition, by F. and X. Calicó (1986).

This classic book (now superseded by a recent second edition) is a compilation of photos and values of all the known 8 escudos (“onzas”) ever minted. Hardbound, with dust jacket, 222 pages, good condition. $40-$60 399.

The Practical Book of Cobs, 1st edition, by Frank Sedwick (1987).

The original classic primer on New World cobs, now very scarce and in demand. Paperback, 81 pages, good condition. $15-$25 400.

Het Vliegenthart—The sunken treasures of a Dutch East Indiaman, ed. by John Levie (1990).

A small but pretty pamphlet that originally accompanied the coins from this wreck (Vliegenthart, 1735) but is now a bit hard to find. Paperback, 16 pages, near new condition. $10-$15 401.

A Descriptive List of Treasure Maps and Charts in the Library of Congress, by Richard S. Ladd (1964), Rio Grande Press reprint (1991).

The title says it all, and in fact a letter in the front compares it to Coffman’s Atlas (1957), but of course this is smaller and has no illustrations. Paperback, 27 pages, like new. $20-$30 402.

Mel Fisher—The World’s Greatest Treasure Hunter, Salvors, Inc. (1991).

Promotional pictorial, with dozens of beautiful color photos of artifacts and salvagers involved with the Fisher organization. Paperback, 32 pages, like new. $20-$30 403.

The Silk and Spice Routes: Exploration by Sea, by Struan Reid (1994).

“Coffee table” book published by UNESCO with many color photos outlining the origins of the East India trade by sea. Hardbound, 47 pages, like new. $10-$25 404.

The Hoxne Treasure, by Roger Bland and Catherine Johns (1994).

Fully illustrated (in color) analysis of an important Roman hoard of the early fifth century AD found in England in 1992 that yielded coins and artifacts. Paperback, 32 pages, like new. $20-$30 162

163

405.

Encyclopedia of Sunken Treasure, by Wright (1995).

An indispensable guide to shipwrecks around the world, with information on both the sinkings and the salvages.

Hardbound with dust jacket, 248 pages, like new. $15-$25 406.

Hunting for Treasure, by Castle (1996).

Large-format book about metal-detecting in England, with several photos and diagrams, useful for understanding laws and regulations. Paperback, 92 pages, like new.

Autographed by the author.

$10-$25 407.

Anchors—An Illustrated History, by Curryer (1999).

Everything you ever wanted to know about ship anchors, and therefore useful for salvagers who want to know more about their wrecks. Paperback, 160 pages, like new. $10-$20 408.

Bibliography of Sunken Treasure Books, by Crooks (2002).

An extremely useful listing of books in our time that concern shipwrecks and treasure. Paperback, unpaginated but over 1" thick, near new except for notes by the former owner, Dick Downes (interesting to see how many of the items he checked off!), to whom the author personally inscribed the book.

Autographed by the author.

$10-$25

164

CATALOGS

409.

Treasure recovered from the site of H.M.S. Association, Sotheby’s (London) auction catalog of July 14, 1969.

A valuable classic catalog with listings and photos of items from the Association wreck off the Scilly Isles, England, in 1707. Paperback, 23 pages, good condition with a few notations in ink, with prices realized (showing who bought what!). $40-$60 410.

Treasure recovered from the site of H.M.S. Association, Sotheby’s (London) auction catalog of July 14, 1969.

Same as above but a clean copy, with photocopied prices realized. $40-$60 411.

Treasure recovered from the site of H.M.S. Association, Sotheby’s (London) auction catalog of July 14, 1969.

Yet another copy of the above, same condition as last. $40-$60 412.

Catalogue of coins of the Netherlands recovered from the Dutch East Indiaman “De Liefde” wrecked off Out Skerries 7th November, 1711, Glendining (London) auction catalog of October 28, 1969.

Another valuable classic, this one with listings and photos of coins from the DeLiefde wreck off the Shetland Islands, north of Scotland, in 1711. Paperback, 36 pages, excellent condition. $40-$60 413.

Catalogue of coins of the Netherlands recovered from the Dutch East Indiaman “De Liefde” wrecked off Out Skerries 7th November, 1711, Glendining (London) auction catalog of October 28, 1969.

As above, except that this was a special, non-illustrated, post-auction version with prices realized printed next to the lots, with photo-plates laid in from one of the regular editions. Good condition. $40-$60 165

414.

Catalogue of coins and other artifacts recovered from the wreck of the Dutch East-Indiaman “Hollandia” (sunk 1743), Sotheby’s (London) auction catalog of April 18, 1972.

Yet another valuable classic, this one with listings and photos of coins and artifacts from the Hollandia, sunk off the Scilly Isles, England, in 1743. Some of the photos are in color. Paperback, 54 pages, perfect condition (new). $30-$50 415.

Catalogue of ancient, English and foreign coins in gold, silver and bronze—A selection from the Lucayan Beach Treasure, Sotheby’s (London) auction catalog of July 26-27, 1972.

Scarce classic, mostly general world coins but with a small section of coins from the “Lucayan Beach wreck” of ca. 1628 off Grand Bahama Island. Paperback, 80 pages, a bit worn but intact, with prices realized. $50-$75 416.

Spanish Galleon Treasure, Schulman (New York) auction catalog of November 27-29, 1972.

One of the most important 1715-Fleet auction catalogs, with many photos of gold and silver cobs and ingots and artifacts. Paperback, 121 pages, good condition, with prices realized. $50-$75 417.

Sale of Sunken Treasure, Lane (Penzance, England) auction catalog of September 26, 1975.

Very useful catalog with offerings from nine different wrecks, mostly off the Scilly Isles, England, with photos not only of the coins and artifacts but also of the various (now famous) salvagers. Paperback, 128 pages, good condition. $40-$60 418.

Catalogue of silver coins of the United Provinces and the Spanish Netherlands with some artifacts recovered from the “Meeresteijn”, sunk near the Cape of Good Hope, 3rd April 1702, Glendining (London) auction catalog of October 1, 1975.

Rare as the one and only Meeresteijn catalog (aside from some very rare South African auctions), filled with listings and many photos of coins and artifacts from that wreck. Paperback, 46 pages, excellent condition, with prices realized. $50-$75 419.

The Harold A. Blauvelt, Iberamerican and 1715 Spanish Treasure Fleet Collections, Bowers & Ruddy (Los Angeles) auction catalog of February 17-19, 1977.

The commonest of all the 1715-Fleet catalogs, but also one of the best, with over 700 lots of coins, ingots and artifacts from the 1715 Fleet, well illustrated. Paperback, 192 pages, excellent condition, with photocopied prices realized. $20-$40

166

420.

Gold and Silver of the Atocha and Santa Margarita, Christie’s (New York) auction catalog of June 14-15, 1988, hardbound edition.

Arguably the most popular treasure auction catalog of our time, only 389 lots (coins, artifacts, and especially ingots) but with an unprecedented amount of background information and analysis (not to mention value!), beautifully illustrated. Hardbound with dust jacket, 258 pages, excellent condition. $75-$125 421.

Coins from the Wreck of H.M.S. Feversham, Christie’s (New York) auction catalog of February 7, 1989.

Thin but valuable catalog of coins (with many photos) from the Feversham, sunk off Nova Scotia in 1711.

Paperback, 63 pages, excellent condition. $30-$50

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422.

The Paul Karon Potosí Cob Collection, Ponterio (Chicago) auction catalog of March 17, 1990.

Scarce and highly sought, this and the Sellschopp auction catalog of 1988 are considered the two most important sales of Potosí cobs, and this one is loaded with photos and some useful articles on special topics within the series. Paperback, 130 pages, excellent condition, with prices realized. $50-$80 423.

Spanish Art I: Treasure from the ‘Maravillas’ and other Works of Art, Christie’s (London) auction catalog of May 28, 1992.

Another scarce but recent catalog, this one featuring coins, ingots and jewelry from the Maravillas, sunk in the Bahamas in 1656, in addition to other “works of art.” Paperback, 111 pages, excellent condition. $50-$75

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424.

The Paul Karon Collection of 8 Escudos and other Classic Latin American Coinage, Superior (New York) auction catalog of December 11, 1992.

Sophisticated reference catalog of Spanish colonial and Latin American gold and other rarities, almost every lot given its own page with photo and provenance. Paperback, 237 pages, excellent condition, with prices realized. $20-$40 425.

Treasure Auction ‘93, Trabucco (Atlantic City, NJ) auction catalog of January 24, 1993.

Scarce but odd catalog with a hodge-podge of mostly high-end coins and artifacts from various shipwrecks, all greatly over-estimated, with useful glossary of terms. Paperback, 20 pages, excellent condition. $30-$50 426.

The Uruguayan Treasure of the River Plate, Sotheby’s (New York) auction catalog of March 24-25, 1993.

Gorgeously illustrated catalog of (mostly) gold coins, ingots, and artifacts (and excellent numismatic analysis) from what is now known to be the Luz, sunk in 1752 off Montevideo, Uruguay. Paperback, about 145 pages, like new, with prices realized. $15-$25 427.

A Captain-General’s Chain and Badge of Office from the 1715 Spanish Treasure Fleet, Sotheby’s (New York) auction catalog of March 24, 1993.

A rare one-lot offering, estimated at $75,000-$100,000, with excellent color photos and analysis. Paperback, 4 pages, excellent condition. $30-$60 428.

The Alexander Patterson Collection, Bonhams (Knightsbridge, England) auction catalog of July 16-17, 1996.

Very useful and important catalog of mostly Spanish colonial milled “pillar dollars” and fractions thereof, including the cut and countermarked coins of the Caribbean. Paperback, 92 pages, good condition, with prices realized. $20-$40 429.

Brazilian Gold Currency Bars, Sotheby’s (London) auction catalog of May 30, 1997.

Important reference catalog of valuable Brazilian gold bars of the late 1700s and early 1800s, all withdrawn before the auction could actually take place, making this catalog quite rare. Paperback, 51 pages, excellent condition. $50-$100

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430.

Auction 18: The Hal Walls Collection of World Trade Coins, Bosco (New York) auction catalog of August 4, 1997.

General world coins but including many important Spanish colonial and Caribbean lots. Paperback, 65 pages, excellent condition. $15-$25 431.

“La Capitana”, Ponterio (Chicago) auction catalog of April 10, 1999.

The one and only catalog on this important wreck full of countermarked and transitional Potosí cobs of the late 1640s and early 1650s, with lots of photos and a couple important numismatic essays. Paperback, 68 pages, like new, with prices realized. $30-$50 432.

The Clive of India Treasure, Spink (London) auction catalog of September 28, 2000.

Scarce and important catalog of gold coins (with lots of photos) believed to originate from the Dodington wreck of 1755 off South Africa. Paperback, 45 pages, like new. $20-$30 433.

Discovery Day Treasures catalog, Atocha Treasure Tours (Key West, Florida), Fall/Winter, 2000.

Lavishly illustrated catalog of shipwreck items at extreme retail prices (fixed) as well as replicas, books, t-shirts, etc. Paperback, 51 pages, like new. $20-$30 434.

Important Clocks, Watches, Scientific Instruments and the Arqueonautas Collection of Marine Archaeology, Sotheby’s (London) auction catalog of December 19, 2000.

Probably an important catalog for collectors of timepieces, but for us the attraction is the section of 137 lots of coins and artifacts from various shipwrecks off the Cape Verde Islands. Paperback, 224 pages, like new. $40-$75 435.

The Arqueonautas Collection of Marine Archaeology, excerpt from the Sotheby’s (London, England) auction catalog Important Clocks, Watches, Scientific Instruments and the Arqueonautas Collection of Marine Archaeology of December 19, 2000.

Very rare offprint from the above catalog, made especially for the directors of Arqueonautas (the firm that recovered the shipwreck material). Paperback, 40 pages, new condition. $75-$150

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436.

The Ton Eijkelenkamp Collection of Coins of the Dutch S E Asian Territories India and Ceylon, Baldwin’s (London) auction catalog of October 8, 2001.

Important catalog for Dutch East India Co. (VOC) coins, well illustrated and expertly researched. Paperback, 63 pages, excellent condition. $25-$40 437.

Public Auction 15, Remy Bourne (Chicago) auction catalog of April 5-6, 2002.

Numismatic literature catalog featuring the collections of Tom Sebring and Dick Downes (among others), the latter containing over 100 lots of treasure-related books and catalogs. Paperback, 121 pages, like new. $15-$30

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438.

The Roland Morris Maritime Museum Auction, Lay (Penzance, England) auction catalog of May 22, 2002.

Rare and important offering of items from almost 30 different shipwrecks. Paper cover stapled to 8 pages, like new. $50-$100 439.

The Classics Sale: The Thomas H. Sebring Collection, American Numismatic Rarities (Orlando, FL) auction catalog of January 5-6, 2004.

Rare and important catalog featuring (among U.S. and world coins) the shipwreck collection (many different wrecks) of noted author Tom Sebring. Paperback, 316 pages, like new. $25-$40 440.

The Classics Sale: The Thomas H. Sebring Collection, American Numismatic Rarities (Orlando, FL) auction catalog of January 5-6, 2004.

As above but good condition, with tear on spine. $25-$50 441.

Pre-Long Beach Elite Coin Auction—The Dry Tortugas Shipwreck Collection, Superior (Beverly Hills, CA) auction catalog January 25-27, 2004.

Tucked inside this typical “mega auction catalog” of U.S. and world coins is the offering of “The Dry Tortugas Shipwreck Collection,” sold by order of bankruptcy court and consisting of most of the material (coins, gold bars, and tons of artifacts) from a ca.-1622 wreck found in deep water off the Dry Tortugas, west of Key West, Florida. Paperback, 416 pages, good condition. $20-$40

END OF SALE—THANK YOU!

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