Stack's Bowers & Ponterio
January 2022 NYINC Auction 14-16 Jan 2022
View prices realized
► Sale information
Find similar lots
MEXICO. 4 Reales, 1732-Mo. Mexico City Mint. Philip V. NGC MS-64.
KM-94; Gil-M-4-1 var.; Yonaka-M4-32; Cal-1106; Harris-unlisted; Palmer & Almanzar-unlisted; Grove-761. Variety with wide date. Without assayers letter and denomination. The single finest certified of the date/variety on the and the single second finest certified of this colonial denomination on either the NGC or PCGS population reports. This very important and historically significant short-lived issue is seldom encountered and should be considered VERY RARE. Beautifully preserved, this exceptional representative is dripping with originality exhibiting bountiful lovely mottled patina that complements the crisp frosty devices with evidence of being struck multiple times. The lustrous surfaces of this near-Gem example are smooth and lustrous with a lovely iridescent sheen that pops out when rotating in the light. This outstanding ever-popular type offers fantastic eye appeal, quality and rarity and is destined to catch the attention of the connoisseur.
KM-94; Gil-M-4-1 var.; Yonaka-M4-32; Cal-1106; Harris-unlisted; Palmer & Almanzar-unlisted; Grove-761. Variety with wide date. Without assayers letter and denomination. The single finest certified of the date/variety on the and the single second finest certified of this colonial denomination on either the NGC or PCGS population reports. This very important and historically significant short-lived issue is seldom encountered and should be considered VERY RARE. Beautifully preserved, this exceptional representative is dripping with originality exhibiting bountiful lovely mottled patina that complements the crisp frosty devices with evidence of being struck multiple times. The lustrous surfaces of this near-Gem example are smooth and lustrous with a lovely iridescent sheen that pops out when rotating in the light. This outstanding ever-popular type offers fantastic eye appeal, quality and rarity and is destined to catch the attention of the connoisseur.
Gilboy states that this type which lacks the assayer's initials and denomination may be considered "trial pieces struck directly from the matrix sent from Madrid". Whether this is true or not remains a mystery, but is believed to be the case by leading experts in the field. In his new book "A Variety Guide to the Fractional Pillar Coinage of Mexico City 1732-1771" by Brad Yonaka he states "It is thought that these coins were struck from dies sent directly from Spain, to serve as examples of how the coin layout should look". Mr. Yonaka has spent many years studying fractional pillar coinage, corresponding with many advanced collectors as well as respected and knowledgeable dealers and auction houses. In the four Reales alone he examined over 600 specimens and was able to discern 332 distinct dies for the entire series. He also states that he was only able to locate four examples with two different die pairs of this particular type. In any case the present type without assayers letters and denomination is very important to Mexican numismatics as it represents the very first milled coinage of not just Mexico, but the entire Spanish new world. To view all items from the Pat Johnson Collection, click here.
From the Pat Johnson Collection.
Ex: Emilio Ortiz Collection (Swiss Bank Corps Zurich 9/1991) Lot # 157.
Ex: Norweb Collection (Christie's New York 5/1985) Lot # 190.
Estimate: $40000 - $60000