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