Watch List notes:

Maracaibo, Venezuela (under Spain), 1 real, Ferdinand VII, (1813?), very rare, NGC F 15. Cal-598; KM-4.1 (under Santo Domingo). 2.59 grams. This crude and very elusive royalist type--the first we have handled--is under debate, as many references place it under Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) while many experts claim it was made in Maracaibo (Venezuela), the support for the latter being the fact that it is so similar to known copper 1-real coins with a large M on the reverse, not to mention that the lizard-like lions match those on copper 1/4 and 1/2 (2/4) reals of Maracaibo as well (all attributed to a documented date of 1813). There are also known 2 reales with bust and shield like the present coin that should be attributed to Maracaibo as well. In contrast, the known Santo Domingo 1/4-real issues of the same period show a totally different design with crowned F7 (no bust) on obverse and SD either above or bisected by a vertical 1/4 on reverse. Notably, Estrella himself in his landmark book Monedas dominicanas (1979) expresses explicit doubt that this series is Santo Domingo in an extended footnote on pp. 132-5. In any case, this example shows a full but worn bust between bold but double-struck F and 7 on obverse, full crowned shield with lions and castles in proper quadrants between full denomination 1-R on reverse, contrasting toning around details and somewhat golden-green color all over. NGC #4837212-005 (as Santo Domingo).
($2,000-$4,000)