Lot # 

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 Lot title and description

Estimate (low-high)

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

Potosí, Bolivia, cob 8 reales, 1652E transitional Type I Royal, with Brazilian 600-reis c/m (Type III, 1663) above shield. S-P37, KM-A20.1 (c/m unlisted), 25.7 grams. A true "wonder coin" with so many distinctions it is hard to know where to start! First of all, the countermark/host combination is unknown (unlisted in KM, which gives a value of $5,000 in VF for the equally rare "Star of Lima" 8R of 1659 with the same c/m) and the countermark itself is quite bold and clear. The host coin itself, like most Royals, is remarkably round and well struck (for the type), albeit with a few flat spots and minor doubling, and in fact the pillars-side die is an exact match with Lázaro #117 (which the author valued at $45,000!), and also it is very well preserved, with only a trace of corrosion and nicely toned on the fields. Note also that this is the very rare Type I, with just F-8-IIII above PL-VSVL-TRA and no third line above the waves. Lastly, consider the wreck, which is known for an odd assortment of coins, but not for this early type, which was struck some 55 years before the sinking, during which time the coin must have hitched a ride to Brazil and thence to Europe, either via London or the Mediterranean campaign from whence the ill-fated Admiral Shovell was returning! Don't let the low estimate fool you—this coin could go for another wild ride! With hand-signed certificate from the Isles of Scilly.

1715 fleet, east coast of Florida

8 reales, 1714(J), mounted in 18K necklace bezel. S-M22, KM-47, 32.9 grams (with bezel). The 714 date on this coin is amazingly bold, and the coin itself is very solid (no corrosion at all, nicely toned, with nearly full cross and crown) but with some flat areas as expected, so it is a little out of place in a necklace bezel that does not even align with either axis! Buy it for the date and use the gold for something else.

Unidentified ca.-1718 wreck off Peru

1733 fleet, Florida Keys (“Coffins Patch” site)

(all Mexico Mint)

8 reales, 1731F. S-M26, KM-47a, 21.4 grams. Bold full date and oM mintmark, well-centered cross but off-center shield, solid coin but with moderate corrosion all over and silvery from cleaning. With two-page, hand-signed photo-certificate #52 from the salvager.

8 reales, 1733F, mintmark M•X. CT-695, KM-103 24.4 grams. Very rare one-year mintmark variant (in fact the only instance since the 1570s where the mintmark was anything other than oM or oXM), with beautiful, lustrous AU pillars side but lightly to moderately corroded shield side (all details still clear), very silvery from cleaning and polishing. With two-page, hand-signed photo-certificate #20 from the salvager.

Vliegenthart, sunk in 1735 off Zeeland, the Netherlands

(all Mexico cobs)

8 reales, (17)29(R). S-M24, KM-47a, 22.0 grams. Full 29 of date (scarce), most of shield, nearly full cross, nicely toned but with areas of heavy corrosion. With generic certificate.

Rooswijk, sunk in 1739 off southeast England

(all Mexico pillar dollars)

8 reales, Philip V, 1735MF. CT-138, KM-103, 26.6 grams. Choice specimen with XF details on both sides, practically no corrosion but patchy toning, nice early date. With color certificate from the salvagers.

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

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

Holland, United Netherlands, "Rider" ducatoon, 1672, mounted in sterling silver necklace bezel with 26" chain. KM-51,48.3 grams (including bezel and chain). Choice specimen with full inner details (particular the "rider" knight on horse) and nearly full legends on both sides, minimal corrosion, XF details, starting to tone, scarce early date. With original, hand-signed, numbered certificate from the salvagers.

$150 - $250

Dodington, sunk in 1755 off Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Potosí, Bolivia, cob 8 reales, 1752q. S-P52, KM-40, 23.9 grams. Bold full date and assayer on pillars side, full assayer and half a date on the cross side, typically chunky and corroded but not so shiny as most, attractive square shape. With generic certificate.

Tilbury, sunk in 1757 off Nova Scotia, Canada

(all Mexican pillar dollars)

8 reales, Ferdinand VI, 1754MM. CT-294, KM-104.2 24.6 grams. Typical specimen from this wreck with light to moderate corrosion all over, not much contrast but some nice details, worth a premium for the original certificate. With large, color certificate hand-signed by the salvagers.

Piedmont (“Lyme Bay wreck”), sunk in 1795 in Lyme Bay, south of England

(all Potosí, Bolivia, cobs)

8 reales, 1657E. S-P37a, KM-21, 26.0 grams. Very early coin for this wreck (struck almost 140 years before the sinking!), with good full pillars and waves, full but doubled cross, 2 dates, 3 mintmarks, 2½ assayers, typically lightly corroded and darkly toned. With generic certificate.

HMS Lutine, sunk in 1799 off Terschelling Island, the Netherlands

Mexico, bust 8 reales, Charles IV, 1797FM. CT-652, KM-10925.8 grams. Uncleaned coin with dark tone and some encrustation, yet with all important details visible, worth a big premium for the accompanying presentation box and certificate from the 1930s. Housed in a custom, blue-leather presentation box with small 1938 certificate hand-signed by the Chairman of Lloyd's of London.

Leocadia, sunk in 1800 off Punta Santa Elena, Ecuador

(all Lima, Peru, busts)

4-coin clump of 8 reales. 108.1 grams. Attractively encrusted "leaning stack" of 8 reales, no details visible but with lots of tan and orange coating and debris, a curious display of how the coins are found, and scarce due to the divers' habit of cleaning up everything to find rarities. With Sedwick photo-certificate.

Unidentified ca.-1850 wreck off the Dominican Republic

(all U.S.A.)

Philadelphia, 50 cents ("seated Liberty"), 1844. KM-68, 13.3 grams. Lustrous Mint State underneath patches of encrustation and staining (but no corrosion), would be beautiful if cleaned, but then you would lose the salvage evidence, which seems to add $1000 of value to big-name U.S. wrecks like Republic and Central America.

“Manila Bay treasure,” dumped in Manila Bay, the Philippines, in 1942

(all Philippines)

Peso. KM-177, 17.7 grams. Dollar-sized coin with portraits of Presidents Roosevelt and Quezon on obverse, lightly corroded and cleaned but with all important details quite clear.