Roma Numismatics Ltd
Islamic, Medieval and World Sale 2 25 Nov 2022
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Spanish Netherlands, Brabant. Felipe IV of Spain AR 48 Patards. 1652-1672. Countermarked on a Spanish Colonial Bolivia AR Cob 8 Reales of Felipe IV. Potosí mint, 1659. Assayer E. Jerusalem cross, Arms of Castile and Leon in quarters, P-E across fields; "Golden Fleece" c/m / Crowned pillars, denomination, mintmark, date and assayers initial around, waves below. For c/m: Delmonte 324; For host coin: KM 21. 26.28g, 38mm, 9h.
Very Fine; areas of weakness, but displaying an unusually complete and clear countermark, most examples being poorly struck.
Following the scandal of the production of underweight and low purity coins at the Potosí mint, events which precipitated the complete redesign of the reales coins to the 'Pillars and Waves' type we see on the present piece, the government of the Spanish Netherlands applied the "Golden Fleece" countermark to Spanish cobs whose weight and fineness had been verified so that they might freely circulate without suspicion. This practice was eventually ended upon the discovery of clipped counter stamped coins, so even though they were marked as regal weight, they had now become adulterated.
Very Fine; areas of weakness, but displaying an unusually complete and clear countermark, most examples being poorly struck.
Following the scandal of the production of underweight and low purity coins at the Potosí mint, events which precipitated the complete redesign of the reales coins to the 'Pillars and Waves' type we see on the present piece, the government of the Spanish Netherlands applied the "Golden Fleece" countermark to Spanish cobs whose weight and fineness had been verified so that they might freely circulate without suspicion. This practice was eventually ended upon the discovery of clipped counter stamped coins, so even though they were marked as regal weight, they had now become adulterated.