Bolivian 8 Real, Possibly 1596-1605 Pb Mark?

please try here:
http://www.sedwickcoins.com/fake_cobs.htm#list

I think it is genuine. Potosi Mint with presumed assayer Juan Ballesteros (1591 - 1606) using "B." This is the third period for using "B" and spans both Philip II and Philip III which would be apparent if the outer legends were present. Lacking those we can only guess. How the outer legends are separated also would tell better a specific type. This coin has five fleur-de-lis, does not have the small "B" and resembles but does not exactly match a Philip III coin, Menzel Po-98, Type XVc. The placement of the large letter "A" to the right of reverse, bottom and the style of castle portals all need to match to fit exactly.

We would love to see images of the hundred others! If you are looking for a great all-in-one book to start to ID early Spanish-American hammered coins and cobs try Cobs, Pieces of Eight and Treasure Coins by Sewall Menzel published by the American Numismatic Society (ANS) in 2004. It has nearly 3000 photographs and lists over 1200 types arranged by mint, monarch, denomination and assayer. The ANS website probably has ordering information if it is still in print.

Thanks everyone. I've got the rest of the cobs photographed (about 70 of them it turned out), I'll try and get time to organise the photos a bit get them online somewhere soon.

What a great collection! It will take a while to look them up. I think most are genuine and only have doubts about a couple but will need to ruminate on them for a while. The royal unfortunately is one of those that need extra authentication. I think we are looking at a numismatic value north of $5000 in pieces of eight. Thanks for sharing!

So here is what I found out. All of the coins came from the Potosi, Peru Mint (now in modern day Bolivia) under Phillip IV. They span the dividing year of 1652 when mint irregularities caused heads to roll and the new "pillar and waves" style (since 1652), was introduced to indicate that now these Peru coins are of proper fineness. Prior to 1652 the older shield style coins might be shy up to a third of the required silver fineness which was unacceptable. All the coins but one run in date between about 1645 and 1667. They all have a similar patina making me wonder if they came from the same land hoard back when. None appear to be sea salvage nor do they have much clipping, meaning they circulated not very long before being deposited in the bank of Mother Earth, and forgotten. The one outlier is a "royal" of Charles II of 1698, which has a cast counterfeit look, although all the design is right. A weight would help add evidence as to whether it is legitimate. If a hoard provenance could be determined they would gain in historic significance. Perhaps the flips they were pulled from tell more?

A quick inventory of the twenty new ones:

Coin 1- Philip IV, 1645, Mint P, Assayer R, square nail hole at 12:00, with no denomination / one date / one mint / half the assayer.

Coin 2 - Philip IV (Circa 1649-1650) Anchor style cross ends.

Coin 3 - Potential Royal Philip IV, 1698, P, F, holed, cast appearance to cross side especially, (fuzzy detail) with 2 denominations / 2.5 dates / 2 mints / 3 assayers.

Coin 4 - Philip IV 1654 P, E, Nice with 3 denominations / 2 dates / 3 mints / 3 assayers.

Coin 5 - Philip IV 166x, P, E, with 1 denomination / half a date / half a mint / 1 assayer.

Coin 6 - Cast counterfeit in the style of Philip IV P, T?, (circa 1629 - 1630s) but made later most likely.

Coin 7 - Philip IV 1667 P, E, with 1 denomination / 1.5 dates / 2 mints / 1 assayer.

Coin 8 - Philip IV, 1663 P, E, nice with no denomination / 2 dates / 3 mints / 2 assayers.

Coin 9 - Philip IV 1667, P, E, nice with 1.5 denominations / 2 dates / 3 mints / 3 assayers.

Coin 10 - Philip IV most likely of Potosi prior to 1652 (shield style)

Coin 11 - Philip IV 1667 P, E, with no denomination / 1.5 dates / 1 mint / 2 assayers.

Coin 12 - Philip IV 1665, P, E, with 1 denomination / 1 date / 2 mints / 3 assayers.

Coin 13 -Philip IV prior to 1652 (shield style) with partial date and 1 mint.

Coin 14 - Philip IV, 164x, P, T, holed with 1 denomination / 1 date / 1 mint / no assayers.

Coin 15 - Philip IV 166x (possibly 1662) P, E, with 1 denomination / half a date / 1.5 mints / 3 assayers.

Coin 16 - Philip IV P, B, prior to 1652 (shield style) with 1 mint / 1 assayer.

Coin 17 - Philip IV No date, P, T, with one denomination / 1 mint / 1 assayer.

Coin 18 - Philip IV, 166x, P, E, with 1 denomination / 1 date /3 mints / 2 assayers.

Coin 19 - Philip IV 165x, P, E, with 1 denomination / half a date / 1 mint / 2 assayers.

Coin 20 - Philip IV 1645, with 1 denomination / 1 date / half a mint / no assayer.

Thanks for showing use the eight reales! What else is in the hoard?

P.S. The nice ones should be valued in the $300 - $400 US dollar range. The average condition coins with dates go for about $250. Those missing the full date might bring $125 - $175. The counterfeits have value to specialist collectors making a "black cabinet" of fakes and might go for far less than, up to equal to, what an authentic coin should sell for, more so if it is known to be a contemporary counterfeit and not a modern fabrication. If the royal is confirmed authentic, it is rare, but the hole hurts its value much, It might go for double what a nice normal cob would bring, although wild internet bidding should two folks decide they have to have it, has been known to happen for rarities. None of the others have significant book value differences from common dates. Anybody collecting Potosi needs to have a short set of shield (before) and pillar & wave (after) varieties.

Congratulations! what a collection!
About number 3, 1698, it must be Carolus II because Fhilip V began his reign in 1700 (also we can see CAROLUS II on right side)

v.