In 1985, the Nuestra de Atochawreck was discovered. This discovery helped to break new ground in numismatics research.
Three coins found in the wreck confirmed that 8-real hand-struck silver coins (today’s Colombian) were produced as early as 1621. This was a fact that was suspected, but not yet proven.
The best-known example of this type, found in a wreck from the same 1622 fleet, is highlighted by Daniel Frank Sedwick’s Nov. 4/5 auction in Florida.
The Sedwick example was among the wrecks of “Dry Tortugas”, which some believe to be the Portuguese-built Buen Jesus y Nuestra Senora del Rosario.
Samuel Zucker once owned this coin. He wrote an article on the importance of coins’ recovery in the Coin World issue, February 28, 2005.
He wrote, “Colombian Silver Cobs on the Whole and Part are some of the most rare and least known issues in the New World.”
There are four examples
Three examples of known examples have been named after their owners.
A Sinclair coin is a second example that is clearly dated and is also mentioned in Zucker’s article. The Pearson coin, a third clearly dated example that was found shortly after Zucker wrote it, was also offered at Sedwick Auction 3 (lot 121). Unnamed, a fourth example was sold at Sedwick Auction 8 (lot 516) in 2010.
These three additional dated examples and an undated piece Zucker also referred to in his article were both recovered from the Atocha.
According to the firm, a further unspecified number of undated pieces was also found, however, these are not secondary to the dated ones.
Only one graded
Professional Coin Grading Service is the only certification agency that has encapsulated the present piece. This honor goes to a representative of what was effectively Colombia’s first “dollar” currency, according the auction house.
Graded PCGS Very Fine Details/environmental damage, the coin weighs 12.68 grams and is “widely acknowledged as the nicest of just four clearly dated specimens,” according to the auction house.
It is estimated that the coin will cost between $10,000 and $20,000.
Consigned1621 Silver 8 Reales From Cartagena Condition Very Fine Details
Location: Winter Park (Florida)
Auction Dates: Nov. 5, 2021
Details The Finest Five Clearly Dated Examples from Early Coin Production at Cartagena Mint, New World
