Mexico City, Mexico, cob 8 reales Royal (galano), 1714J, NGC AU details / environmental damage, ex-1715 Fleet (designated on special label).S-M22; KM-unl; Cal-1367.26.39 grams.This important coin bears the distinction of being the only true Royal 8 reales known from the 1715 Fleet (as opposed to a "pseudo-Royal" on a non-round flan struck with Royal dies, featured as lot 5336 in Bowers & Ruddy's February 1977 auction), and it is one of only four fully round examples known, the others being: Calbeto (1970) #707; Lazaro (1996) #69; and lot #230 of the Hidalgo auction of September 2002. Curiously, all the five known examples (including the pseudo-Royal) are struck from the same obverse die married with three different reverse dies (two with upright flower at top in reverse legend and one with the flower in an X-shaped orientation). The current specimen is a full die-match with the Lazaro piece (X-shaped flower). Fortunately, the shipwreck provenance did not result in much corrosive loss on the surface of the present piece, although the reverse is a bit more darkly toned, and the entire shape of the coin is intact and fully detailed, including the rims (not to mention it has no hole or plug like most Royals). It should also be noted that the sharply tidy design of these 1714 Royals is clearly the beginning of a new style that continued into 1715 and cannot be confused with any prior dates (despite some overdate rumors stemming from some minor die-chips around the 4 on the obverse die). While GOLD Royals clearly rule the top of the pile, this coin is the ultimate SILVER coin from the 1715 Fleet! From the 1715 Fleet, and pedigreed to Isaac Rudman Numismatic Cabinet and the Superior auction of August 1983 (lot 912).
($10000-15000)