SPAIN, Kingdom. Felipe III el Piadoso. 1598-1621. AR 8 Reales (34mm, 27.19 g, 4h). Cob issue. Sevilla (Sevilla) mint. Dated [1620 or 1621?] S G. Fine.

Electronic Auction 543
Lot: 713. Estimated: $ 200

World, Silver

Sold For $ 650. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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SPAIN, Kingdom. Felipe III el Piadoso. 1598-1621. AR 8 Reales (34mm, 27.19 g, 4h). Cob issue. Sevilla (Sevilla) mint. Dated [1620 or 1621?] S G. Crowned coat-of-arms / Coat-of-arms of Spain. ME 4942; KM 37.3. Toned, a few cleaning scratches. Fine. Small cross potent in circular counterstamp on reverse.

The small cross potent or Portuguese cross counterstamped on this piece is known from only a handful of other examples. Other hosts include a similar 1620s Sevilla mint 4 Real (Gorny & Mosch 230, lot 3784), a 1617 M Potosí 4 Real (Sedwick 21, lot 907), and a 1622 Toledo mint 4 Real (ANS 1927.17.1). The stamp appears in the center of the reverse on three of these pieces. Considering the assemblage of hosts and the orientation of the stamp on the known examples, plus the lack of any as-yet uncovered archival documentation, the cross is most likely a banker’s mark, perhaps for some Portuguese banker operating in the New World. Isaac Rudman and Mike Dunigan, considering the ANS specimen, hypothesized a West Indian source, but there is no firm evidence to support this level of specificity.

Closing Date and Time: 2 August 2023 at 13:57:20 ET.

All winning bids are subject to a 20% buyer’s fee.