Rights Holder: Royal Institution of Cornwall
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Unique ID: CORN-DBCD5C
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
Silver eight reales 'pillars and waves' type cob of Philip IV (1621-1665) of Spain, dated to 1658 on the obverse. The assayer's letter 'E' to the right of the shield on the obverse and to the top right of the right column on the reverse refers to Antonio de Ergueta, assayer from 1653 to 1678. The 'P' to the top left of the left column refers to the Potosi mint in Bolivia. The reverse central field has two upright pillars with foliate capitals and waves formed by curved lines beneath them. There are two equidistant horizontal lines that cross the pillars forming nine squares.
Within these squares are the letters :
P / 8/ E
PL / SVL / TRA
E / 58 / P
In the mid-16th century major silver deposits were found in South America, in an area known as 'Peru', but this relates to an area much larger than modern-day Peru. Coins minted from here were called 'cobs' or cabo, and rather than producing a nice flan onto which the image was struck, cobs were simply a bar of silver cut into appropriate weights (1, 2, 4, 8 reales) so they are not standard shapes.
Cayon (2005) illustrates a similar eight reales minted in Potosi and dated to 1658 on page 711, fig.111, no.6503.
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Middle
Period from: POST MEDIEVAL
Subperiod to: Middle
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Exactly AD 1658
Date to: Exactly AD 1658
Quantity: 1
Thickness: 2.6 mm
Weight: 20.8 g
Diameter: 38 mm
Date(s) of discovery: Sunday 3rd January 2016 - Sunday 3rd January 2016
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Primary material: Silver
Manufacture method: Struck or hammered
Completeness: Incomplete
Denomination: 8 reales
Ruler/issuer: Phillip IV of Spain
Type: Spain: silver 8 reales of Phillip IV (Clemente and Cayon 6188-6581)
Obverse description: cross potent with lions alternating with castles in opposite quarters
Obverse inscription: illegible
Reverse description: two crowned pillars rising from waves, with crown above, inscription in three lines across field: P / 8 / E // PL / SVL / TRA // E / 58 / P
Reverse inscription: illegible
Die axis measurement: 6 o'clock
Degree of wear: Very worn: fair
No coin references available.
4 Figure: SW3526
Four figure Latitude: 50.0749109
Four figure longitude: -5.70509951
1:25K map: SW3526
1:10K map: SW36SE
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 10 metre square.
Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cayon, A.C. and J. Clemente | 2005 | Las Monedas Espanolas | Madrid | Cayon-Jano S.L. | 711, fig.111 | no.6503 |