Favorite Personal Cobs

Post what ya got. Here is one of my top 5. Off the Capitana. Note the aborted period shear cut.

Stan

Oooops - missed the obverse side....

Ahhh, nostalgia; I remember it well.
Don.........

Awesome, love the cobs

yes that is a nice.

yes that is a nice.

Thanks Karib and Bradboy. Although not extremely rare, there were some excellent strikes recovered from the Capitana with what I consider a low loss due to corrosion damage. It sounds like Don (mackaydon) could elaborate as it seems he was involved with the recovery. I have two more I will post. I took pictures of all for Ernie Richards, publisher of Plus Ultra ("more beyond") newsletter. Here is a 1653E example...Stan

Here is the obverse of the previous coin. For some reason I am having trouble with multiple files. SD

Dive Wreck:

The story of our recovery is well covered by one of my partner's, Dave Horner, in his book 'Shipwreck, a Gaga of Sea Tragedy and Sunken Treasure'; Sheridan House, NY. 1999.

Ponterio and Associates, Inc., San Diego (1-800-854-2888) prepared a great brochure for the auction of 'Capitana' coins for the 24th Chicago International Coin Fair in 1999. Within that catalogue is shown hundreds of pics of some of the coins we found. Also shown are the 8 different obverse images of the 1652 transitional coins and the 40+ images of the various countermarks we found--along with their rarity.

Those currently working the 'Capitana' may find Horners' book interesting reading and Ponterio's brochure especially helpful in ID-ing 'transitional' coins.

Another booklet of great value in researching transitional coins is Dr. Sewall H. Menzel's 'The Potosi Mint Scandal and Great Transition of 1652' (EN RADA Publications, POB 1698, West Palm Beach, Florida 33402-1698; Phone: 407-965-2930)
Don.....

Dive Wreck:

The story of our recovery is well covered by one of my partner's, Dave Horner, in his book 'Shipwreck, a Gaga of Sea Tragedy and Sunken Treasure'; Sheridan House, NY. 1999.

Ponterio and Associates, Inc., San Diego (1-800-854-2888) prepared a great brochure for the auction of 'Capitana' coins for the 24th Chicago International Coin Fair in 1999. Within that catalogue is shown hundreds of pics of some of the coins we found. Also shown are the 8 different obverse images of the 1652 transitional coins and the 40+ images of the various countermarks we found--along with their rarity.

Those currently working the 'Capitana' may find Horners' book interesting reading and Ponterio's brochure especially helpful in ID-ing 'transitional' coins.

Another booklet of great value in researching transitional coins is Dr. Sewall H. Menzel's 'The Potosi Mint Scandal and Great Transition of 1652' (EN RADA Publications, POB 1698, West Palm Beach, Florida 33402-1698; Phone: 407-965-2930)
Don.....

Thanks Don. I have all of the reference sources you mention. A worthy addition to anyone's treasure collection if you don't already have them. When you made the "nostalgia" reply earlier, maybe you were remembering the partially cut cob from the auction catalog. I aquired the cob prior to getting the catalog, so it was kind of cool seeing it in there. My next post will be a counterstamped coin with the bullseye assayer. Were many of these found?

I think the Capitana coins are some of the nicest shipwreck coins out there. Thanks for your help in bringing them up!

Stan

Stan:
I don't recall the quantity of each type we found.
I'll assume the 'bullseye' assayer you're referring to is that of 'de Roas' on a 'shield' cob from 1649-1651; an 'O' with a dot in the middle.) I look forward to seeing your post of that coin and the counterstamp.
Don.....

Stan:
I don't recall the quantity of each type we found.
I'll assume the 'bullseye' assayer you're referring to is that of 'de Roas' on a 'shield' cob from 1649-1651; an 'O' with a dot in the middle.) I look forward to seeing your post of that coin and the counterstamp.
Don.....

That is correct as far as my evaluation of the coin. You or Trez correct me if I am missing something. I can read the 164_ part, so I am assuming the last digit, but it could probably only be a "9". Somewhere I have some notes where I researched the counterstamp. If I remember right I was not able to narrow it to one type. Maybe you can help. Pictures will follow sir. Again, thanks for helping to bring this wonderful treasure up.

Stan

Stan:
With the "4" clearly visible, it has to be a 1649. The counterstamp appears to be Type "G", Rarity C-1. The "L" underneath the crown (and within the circle line)
 is the key indicator of this type.
Don...

Stan:
With the "4" clearly visible, it has to be a 1649. The counterstamp appears to be Type "G", Rarity C-1. The "L" underneath the crown (and within the circle line)
 is the key indicator of this type.
Don...

Don, thanks very much for the input. I will study my past research and the excellent analysis that was in the auction catalog. I feel lucky to have aquired these coins when I did. Thanks again for your involvement in this historical recovery.

Stan

Don, Trez, and everyone else. Would you please post pics of what you have that you consider good? I wanted this to become a "sticky" rather than private thread. Rock on. SD

Three coins from the Consolación, sunk in 1681 off Santa Clara Island, Ecuador. Potosi 1664E and 1673E (assayer Antonio de Ergueta), and 1678C (assayer Manuel de Cejas). Stan

Stan:
Nice clear dates: congrats!!
Don.....

Divewrecks, here's a few of mine.
1662 1 Real from the Santa Maria De La Consolacion, note the full date.
1739 8 Real from a private collection, Assayer, Vargas a very chunky 28g
I love the double strike on the Leon.
Cheers
Ossy

Thanks for the thumbs up Don.

Ossy, thanks for sharing - those are two nice coins. A triple dated 1R is rare from any wreck. I think the book on the Consolation that Seliger wrote a bunch of 1's were found under a small section of timbers. Perhaps that is what protected them from the abrasive sands anmd currents that seemed to attack many of the other coin holes accumulations found.

The 1739 Lima is also neat to me because I like chunky. According to Menzel assayer V (Jose de Vargas y Flor) coins weighed as little as 26.0g, so he must have felt generous (or remorseful) on the day your coin was struck. I love the double lions stamped neck and neck.

I am currently documenting some of my own collection for insurance purposes so I may post more. I always like to look at anyone else's (coins)<g>.

Stan

1697VR (Potosi 2R), 17XXJ (Guatemala 8R), 1732F (Mexico 8R) and 1767V (Potosi 8R)

Stan

Thanks Stan for the info, I purchased the 1 Real from Bill Seliger and was very lucky he sold to me
as he wanted to keep it for his own collection.
I would love to see some more of your coins, Cheers
Ossy.   PS, I noticed on the 8 real after taking the photo on macro, it has a very light scratched  MB next to the bottom lion, what do you think ?

Nice cobs Divewrecks, they look chunky, every time i see nice cobs makes me want to buy some more !
shame the Aussie dollar not worth much at the moment.
Cheers
Sam

Yes, I do see the "MB" in what looks like a double-lined monogram. Here it is cropped and rotated. I don't have any ideas at the moment. Interesting.

Stan

15XXO (Mexico 4R), 16XXP (Mexico 8R), 1714J (Mexico 8R). Stan

Goodmorning Stan. Beautiful cobs, Love the 4 real.
Do you know why these coins where nearly all round ? the early series.
Man you are making me jealous
Ossy

DiveWrecks, some of my old and not so old gold coins, my Mum passed the two gold coins down to me
a few years ago, She purchased them in Madrid about 27 years ago, they are still in there box
never worn. The 2 escudos I purchased from Dan Sedwick.
enjoy, Sam

Sam, that's some cool bling. Are the mounted coins legal tender or are they some kind of collector coins?

Regarding the round coins I guess they just had higher standards in the earlier days. I don't know if it was based on skill or just a higher level of personal pride in making something that was attractive and legible. Things sure went downhill in later years.

I didn't try to look up your 2 escudo. What do you know about it?

I broke down and ordered a gold coin from the US mint last Thursday. If you look at their web site you can probably guess which one.

My dream coin though would be a near perfect 8 escudo 17XX Potosi. Maybe one day...

Stan

Thanks for the comments Stan. I would love a 8 escudo royal, I can only dream but my next
will hopfully be an 8 escudo 1715 Mexico from the 1715 fleet.
I have the book " Spanish Colonial gold coins in the Florida Collection " my dream book !
I would love some more info on the 2 escudo all I know is, assayer Juan Vicente Bravo 1592-1611
I'm sure its ship wreck you can see under macro some pinkish crustaceans in the shield,
who knows it may have come off the Atocha ?
The mounted coins are collectors coins 24k celebrating Spanish kings and Queens.
Cheers, Sam

Since he was an assayer in Seville I assume it would have been a passenger's coin if found on the Atocha. It is certainly a possibility.

Yes, there are some pretty coins in the Florida collection. I'm glad Mr. Craig wrote that book. It is a shame though that the State was not carefully studying its collection early on. They let some rare examples slip away.

Stan

1618 (Atocha - Potosi 8R), 16XX (Santa Margarita - Potosi 8R), 1653E (Potosi 1R).

Stan

Beautiful coins Stan. How rare is a Atocha coin with a full date ? you have an awesome collection
thanks for sharing
Cheers, Sam

Thanks Sam. The coin cost me around $800 about 4 years ago. About the same time I visited the Mel Fisher museum in Key West and they said a dated Grade 1 would cost around $3500 minimum, so I guess I got a good deal. It isn't my favorite coin, but is the most valuable in my collection. I just wanted an Atocha coin, because at the time I was only interested in wreck recoveries. The "8" is light and looks funny being so far out of line, but it is certainly legitimate. I assume they were modifying a worn stamp or one from an earlier year to get that far out of alignment. Tommorow I have a couple from the Jupiter wreck. I'm glad to finally be getting all these photographed for record keeping. I hope to get a digital scale soon for weight measurement.

Stan

Stan, do you have the link for your US coin, love to see it
Sam

Sam, here ya go. In my personal opinion this is the most beautiful coin design ever. Definitely a modern day "royal". The first coins ship on February 6th. Hopefully I won't have to wait long. From what I understand they had a tremendous response from the first day of sales last Thursday.

Others, sorry for the off topic post. More cobs to follow.....Stan

Obverse:

http://www.ultrahighrelief.com/images/2009_obv_lg.jpg

Reverse:

http://www.ultrahighrelief.com/images/2009_obv_lg.jpg


Ultra High Relief - The Design
 
The design of the Ultra High Relief Double Eagle is a high-tech re-creation of Augustus Saint-Gaudens' original 1907 high relief $20 Liberty Double Eagle. Below is an excerpt from an official United States Mint press release that discusses the method they used in achieving the most exact duplicate of the original.

"Through advancements in technology, the United States Mint can today produce the ultra-high relief coin envisioned by Augustus Saint-Gaudens in the early 20th century. A 27-millimeter diameter gold blank, more than 50% thicker than other United States Mint one-ounce 24-karat gold coins, will be used, because of its historical significance and the opportunity it provides to achieve the greater depth and relief to which Saint-Gaudens had aspired.

In most respects, the new legal tender gold coin will authentically reproduce the ultra-high relief gold piece. The obverse design (heads side) will be based on the obverse of the original Saint-Gaudens design executed in 1907. The reverse (tails side) also will be based on those pieces and will include 14 sun rays. The edge of the coin will feature the same raised edge-lettering as the 1907 pieces. The edge-lettering features the inscription "E Pluribus Unum" with stars serving as delimiters between the letters.

As approved by Secretary Paulson, the new coin will have several modern elements. The obverse of the new coin will feature 50 stars, instead of the original 46 stars on the obverse (heads side), which represented the 46 states in the Union in 1907. The CCAC recommended that the obverse design be modified in this manner to honor all 50 states in the Union today. Also, responding to the recommendation of the Commission of Fine Arts, the United States Mint will inscribe the Roman numerals "MMIX" (2009) in a style similar to the original Saint-Gaudens design. Additionally, the inscription "In God We Trust" will appear on the reverse design of the new coin because current law requires placement of this inscription on all U.S. coinage."

Here are some of my cobs.  All found by myself with the exception of one given to me.  Most are from Jupiter Wreck, 1715 fleet, and the two Lima 1 reale coins possibly from Jonathan Dickinson’s wreck. 

Very Nice BigKid4! What's the approximate ratio of land-to-sea finds?

Is that a burlap sack imprint on the greenish one that looks about 2R size? Cool.

I like the 1686 uncleaned Lima towards the bottom. Nice tone. What is the denomination on that one?

On your first mounted coin (1652?) what is that "I" out by itself over the left pillar? Strange or am I missing something?

The Lima Star 2R (second mounted) is my favorite. Very nice. Of course your 1714 gold is nice to. Did you find it on the beach? I also like the toothpick and assume it is 1715 fleet. Where did you find it?

Finally, don't tell me you found all of those rings in just a few outings. I would probably just throw my detector off a cliff. You got enough to stock a jewelry store.

Stan

The

164XT (Potosi 2R), 1658E (Potosi 8R). Both coins from Jupiter wreck.

Stan

Stan, all the pictured cobs are land finds or should I say wet sand finds.  Most of the Jupiter Wreck coins were pumped up on the beach for me by the beach restoration project around 10 years ago and yes all that sand has been washed away and most of the last restoration also.  I also thought the burlap imprint was cool so I didn’t clean it and it is probably a ½ reale.  The two Lima one reale cobs were found many years ago at Jupiter inlet when the south side washed out under the road and part of the parking lot.  I cleaned the one and didn’t like the results so I left the second one alone.  Since they post date the Jupiter wreck by many years I have always speculated that they are some of the coins the Indians took from Jonathan Dickinson and brought back to their village at the inlet.  The I. on the 1652 over the pillar I have no information on other than it is there.  Maybe someone more knowable than myself will chime in and answer that one for both of us.  The gold coin was a beach find after the hurricanes of a few years ago.  I would rather not say exactly where the toothpick came from but it was not near anywhere I would have expected it to be found at.  Let’s just say between Corrigan’s and the Cabin wrecks.  The gold rings are part of my collection of 20 years of beach hunting.  Last but not least did you notice the coin in the EO with the square spike hole in it?  I have two EO’s from the Jupiter wreck with a coin in them.  One of these days my curiosity is going to get the best of me and I’m going to have to find out if they are Lima stars.
Gary

Six - 16XX 2 Reales (Seville, Spain), 17XX 8 Reales (worn fleet coin, Mexican), 17XXJ 8 Reales (fleet coin, Mexican).

Stan

Hello all..........
I have been away from this for a while...and WOW !!! I get back and....lookie lookie.
You all have a tremendous collection of cobs, I have been smiling the whole time.
Congrat's to each of you....and most of all thanks for sharing.
I won't bore you with any from our collection, lol
But, I have had requests, so if you have some patience...I will post a few.

I will post you this one...tell me what you think it is and on what denomination cob.

Talk soon....again FANTASTIC Cobs everyone

Trez

Hi Trez good to have you back
I will have a guess at your cob, 4 real Mexico, Looks like a Nazi cross, wow whats the story.
Cheers, Ozzy

This is a Lima 2 escudos I bought this past year. The story is that it was attached to a tarry spike when found by the divers and has tar and coral residue on the pillars of the coin. Nice NGC MS62 coin.
TNBob   

Very nice coin TNBob!

Assayer M (Felix Cristobal Cano Melgarejo) was named by the viceroy to replace the deceased assayer R (Leonardo de Rojas) in 1709. In late October of 1711 the assayer's office was purchased by a boy's father (the boy was Joaquin Negron y Colmenares, later to becom assayer N). Since the boy was so you Melgarejo filled in for him for 15 years retiring in 1727. He was implicated in the 1728 mint scandal (at the time he was 68 years old), but was eventually cleared of the accusations.

Stan

["SideImagingSoft.com - Humminbird Side Imaging Forums"]

Trez,

As we all know, the Swastika became infamous when the Nazi's used it and it became a symbol of terror and death.  But the symbol was actually used many hundreds, even thousands of years earlier. It was a symbol of strength, life and good luck and was used in China, Japan, Europe and even by Native Americans.

As for your coin, not sure, but sure you will let us know.

Robert

17XXJ - 1715 Fleet 4 Reale, Mexico

Stan

Here is one that looks similar to your first one.

SEAHUNTER, very nice :thumbsup:Am I seeing things or is their two different dates on the coin
1653 and 1663?
Ossy

I think you are seeing 65 and the three is missing.

Seahunter:
Your coin resembles one of those we originally found on the 'Capitana' (1654).
Don........

Hi Don
If I am not mistaken the "San Miguel" (aka The Jupiter Wreck) was carrying some material that had been salvaged from the "Capitana", therefore a possible reason for  the similarities.
Scott

Scott:
You're right; as was the NS Maravillas also carrying the treasure of the "Capitana".
Don.....

As a matter of fact one of the silver bars found in the "San Miguel" was registered in the manifest of the "Capitana"

Chagy....

Independents working the Capitana site in Ecuador, I believe, has ceased due to UNESCO. Has Spain yet claimed the artifacts recovered by the San Miguel?
Don.....

Hi BigKid
Here is one similar to one of yours.

I love the shape of this Mexican.

Stan

Very nice Stan, great photo very High D you can even see a number 8 scratched in the bottom corner.
I also love the shape, you can see why they made bird like cob's and hearts if the cob's came out in these shape's
Sam

 

Love to see some more cobs
Ossy

i should of never even looked the dangdo dagnabit......... i never...... phftttttt.....

i should of never even looked the dangdo dagnabit......... i never...... phftttttt.....

In English Please

Hello all..........
I have been away from this for a while...and WOW !!! I get back and....lookie lookie.
You all have a tremendous collection of cobs, I have been smiling the whole time.
Congrat's to each of you....and most of all thanks for sharing.
I won't bore you with any from our collection, lol
But, I have had requests, so if you have some patience...I will post a few.

I will post you this one...tell me what you think it is and on what denomination cob.

Talk soon....again FANTASTIC Cobs everyone

Trez

Trez, Thanks for the Pm, good to have you back mate ! you still have me hanging on for the answer on this coin !
Cheers, Sam

Sam you haven't forgotten, it's good too be back...thanks.
4 reales was a good guess.
The Swastika was struck on a 1/2 real....I will post the pic of the 1/2 real when I go back to Sebastian this week, my pics are on another hard-drive. Things have changed a bit, lol.
There is some really fine pics on this thread.......of some great coins.

Thanks,
Trez

The Swastika was struck on a 1/2 real....

Hi Trez, welcome back! I think you disappeared when I started getting a little more serious about collecting and posting here.

I can't wait to hear the full story on the Swatstika. I have thought about that mystery several times in your absence.

Stan

 :notworthy:i'd show you mine if that was ever true

My new favorite Cob, a special thanks to Stan This was one of Stan's eBay tips
A special Cob, enjoy
Sam

That's a nice one, Sam.
I especially like the devaluation counterstrike on the shield. Did the seller give you a full pic of what that counterstrike looks like? Was the coin advertised as coming from either the 'Capitana' or the 'Maravillas'.
Don........

Ok Sam...how much? lol
That one is a definate "ripper" sweet 52, the legends are strong...very nice detail, very.
I gotta say, I love finding cobs with my detector, and I know how some feel about buying cobs on eBay...but my thoughts are "if I can't get to the beach and we have no storms, can't dive to hunt for them (lol) then why not use this source, careful we must be (fakes, copies, repros)... but if one has some knowledge on the subject and enjoys expanding their collection...some deals can be had...some good some bad.
In this case    

Nice snag Sam,
Trez

Hello Trez:
I still have a pic of another 'ripper' (marked RNE) you put us on to in April of last year. Sedwick now shows it as number 790 here: http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:2NCeIczEiVwJ:www.sedwickcoins.com/treasureauction4/othersilvercobs.htm+Mintmark+RNE&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&ie=UTF-8
Don.....

Hi Don and thank you. The seller thought it came from the Capitana, but I have the auction catalog and it's not on there.
The seller did not have a lot of information he brought it about ten years ago. Thanks to Stan, I have
Sewall Menzel book of Cobs and was able to look up Information on this type ! I then brought it
straight away.
Counter Stamp Crowned F, Ergueta (E) over Rodas (O)
Thanks Trez, If would have been extra special if I had found It, especially in Australia, they would have to rewrite the history books down here I'm Still looking, East coast of Australia.
Thanks guys, Great to have you back Trez
Cheers, Sam

Exerpt from seller comment about the coins origin: "found, we believe, in the Florida keys, and perhaps, from a ship called El Capitan".

Obviously little probability in that being the 1733 El Rubi, so he must have been confusing it with the Capitana Jesús María off Ecuador, which is most likely. Other candidates include the Maravillas (as Don mentioned) which was carrying a loty of coins salvaged from the Capitana, and to a lesser extent the San Miguel Archangel (Jupiter wreck).

Sam's coin is discussed on page 294 of Menzel's book (Type 1, Po-252). They were only struck for about a month. Estimated production was 110,000 pesos.

Stan

Hi Stan, Still waiting for my first Hoard coin, must have sent it the old way, on burro's
Sam

Very nice Trez, any Idea's on how the Swastika got stamped on the coin? The 1/4 reale, I have seen a
similar design on the copper coins?( Maravedies )
Sam

Very nice Trez, any Idea's on how the Swastika got stamped on the coin? The 1/4 reale, I have seen a
similar design on the copper coins?( Maravedies )
Sam

Sam,
I pulled the pic of the 1/4 real for a time...in respect of your 1652.
Thanks for posting it......

Trez

nice pics. wish i had one to post

New additions to my collection...This one a Lima 1686 four reale, assayer R....Stan

Very Nice Stan Still planning your trip? Drakes stolen Treasure
Sam

This post may sound like an old grandpa bragging
about his grand children  

But what about those Jupiter Shipwreck Coins  
Especially the ones from big kid....
Now there are some beautiful specimens.... And, they went through a dredge pipe!

Was that 8 reale Lima Star Sedwick recently auctioned shot out of a dredge pipe as well?


Our shipwreck continues to produce some beautiful specimens.
One of the most interesting facets about our collection to date,
is the lack of counter stamped or pre-1652 specimens.

Now, why do any of you think that is?

Oh yes... Pretty coins

Yes, BigKid4 does have some envious finds. Nice guy too...

I don’t find the lack of counter stamps to be that surprising. If your wreck did occur in 1660 that was nearly ten years after the royal decree directing the devaluation and stamping of Potosi 1650 and 1651 assayer “O” and “E” coins.

The devalued and counter stamped coins were considered suspect at best. Rumors circulated that counterfeit counter stamps were in use and contemporary writings indicate that a number of merchants at the royal fairs in Portobello weren’t accepting the coinage. Besides the difficulty associated with exchanging counter stamped coins, they soon lost favor in other public transactions. The coins were an embarrassing reminder of the greed, corruption, and fraud that occurred at the mint.

By 1660 these coins had become much less common. Many had been melted down and re-coined in the pillar style designs that had become the recognized standard. It is not unreasonable to believe that counter stamped coins were purposely culled from coinage being shipped home to Spain, especially any coins being shipped on behalf of the crown. The stamps may have brought back memories for King Phillip that were less than fond if he became aware of them. Similarly, well to do passengers probably avoided the coins in personal shipments so as to avoid the scrutiny and embarrassment associated with exchanging devalued coins.

Stan

Hi Divewrecks

Looking at your 17xxJ Guatemala 85, I see on the reverse side in the centre the letters LUS ,

John

John,

You are seeing as "lus"... of PLUS on the left Pillar.
The left pillar displays PLUS which means in (Latin) "More"
The right pillar will display (U) VLTRA which means "Beyond"
PLUS (U) VLTRA stands for (More Beyond)...
it was a way that Spain let everyone know that their control went beyond it's territory or rule.

Just as Spain views it's control even today

Trez

Hi John, Trez answers your question well. I always have thought that PLVS VLTRA was a cool motto. As a shameless plug, it is also the name of a treasure cob newsletter published by Ernie Richards of Enrada Publications:

http://home.att.net/~enrada/

I have the complete collection from 1983 forward. They are a great reference source for the cob collector.

Stan

Scholarly Hypotheses - well written and concise.

One slight exception.  It was called "The Edict of 1650" the king
issued.  The problem of the miss-alloying of the coins started in the
1640's and was recognized in the later 1640's.  It reached its height in 1650. 
Other than aviso vessels, they didn't have fax machines and smoke signals
didn't work well half way around the world - like the "smoke and mirrors"
the government and wall street use today with the internet and media.

The counter srtamping of the 1650 & 1651 coins was just a public way
of attempting to put a cap and lid on the problem.

Thanks Dom. To anyone interested in reading more about this may I suggest they refer to the following two books written by my friend Sewall Menzel:

“The Potosi Mint Scandal and Great Transition of 1652”, Enrada Publications, Undated

“Cobs, Pieces of Eight and Treasure Coins”, The American Numismatic Society, 2004

Also highly recommended with regards to this topic is:

“La Capitana”, Ponterio & Associates Auction Catalog #99, 1999

Stan

I love really wacky shaped Mexican coins and quite a few "interesting" shapes have been found in 1715 fleet recoveries (for examples there are two pages of "bizarre" shapes in Alan Craig's book on silver in the state of Florida collection). In the recent Sedwick treasure auction I purchased this 1715 fleet piece. During 1714 and 1715 the Mexican mints were really cranking up the production volume and an occasional piece such as this got by....

Stan

Thanks Trez and Stan
learn, learn learn
John

Actually...

There was a guy there trimming the coins that had a foot fetish!
During that period, many Mexican cobs actually resemble the
shape of a boot!

When folks ask me about these wacky shapes and ask me why
I usually tell them they didn't have cigarette or slot machines
back then so the coins didn't have to roll anywhere. 

During the period of the Jupiter Shipwreck (mid to late 1650's)
there was a Mexican coin trimmer that clipped the coins so they
resembled clay urns.

Then there was the romantic guy who trimmed some of the
some of the Potosi coins to look like hearts, but I forget period.   
I am sure one of you can recall the date and the right spelling of
{Cortisones}.

The indented area of my coin (between the two protrusions) is a cast surface. It was an open hole (a void) in the material when the “strap” was being poured. Notice that there are no linear edges in the indentation. When the strap was being sheared into coin blanks (by eyeball) the cut likely occurred across the center of the void. The distortion of the two appendages is either from the force of shearing or the mint worker manually tearing off a partially sheared coin. Mine and the ones in Craig’s book were not shaped that way by plan; that is just the way they ended up when quality control slipped a bit when the demand on the mint for output was extremely high (like in coining all the 1715 fleet treasure accumulated over the several years that returning shipments to Spain were on hold).

I don’t think the urn shaped coins were by that way by design either. It too was an anomaly of the particular way that the silver was being cast into shapes for coin planchets at that particular time. As far as I know these shapes are not tied to any particular assayer initial.

I certainly am not saying that there weren’t plenty of “creative” shapes made on purpose, but this practice was not prevalent at the Mexico mint. They were most all from Potosi and besides the hearts, quite a variety of animal shaped coins are know to exist.

Dom, can you show us any pictures of coins found this year that the will be shown to the state at division time?

Stan

I will be glad to post the 10 or so we found
so far this year.  They all are green and highly
worn specimens probably blasted out of the
holes or deeper yet by earlier excavators.

I have yet to get a definitive number on just how
many specimens the Polly-L  recovered so far.
Doug already posted the four coins stuck to the
ballast stone Nice find.

We are by no means done for yet this year.
But as you will see from the photo - its getting a
little wavy this time of year!

The good news is we have window days still
in front of us.    

I still have a plan on the drawing boards to try and turn our
project "green" this year...    And I don't mean
going out and trying to work in these wave conditions

We plan to go out and pump a BIG hole -    bigger than anyone has ever
dug before - move the overburden down stream - then crain away the bolders
under 25 feet or so of sand - then see if the rest of the ship is sitting under
them!

Whether it is or isn't - we are going to find a crap load of coins and artifacts!
The reason is for over 24 years all of us with blowers and prop wash devices
I contend have been pushing the coins along the scatter pattern deeper and deeper around the big
rocks.    Hopefully the whole boat is down there...

If it isn't.... Well then its time for me to go do somthin else....    

Now,

The photos I am posting are of my key chain.
They are from a 1657 Mexican Eight Reale'
OMP.

One of my daughters thinks the coin looks like a Penguin.    


I think they look like a clay pot or an urn with a distinct top and bottom.
I personally have found quite a few of these shapes over the past
24 years at the Jupiter Shipwreck site.  We have also found quite a few
almost round Mexican specimens as well.

Whether it is a penguin or a clay pot - I do not think this particular shape
was made in vast numbers - by chance.
But I, by no means always right and or a definitive  Mexican cob
specialist.
However, we have seen over 13,000 coins to date come off the Jupiter
Shipwreck from 1652 to 1659 and a good number of them haver a similar
shape to this urn or {penguin} variety. 
 

Here are scans of two interesting potosi
Jupiter Coins specimens:

Assayer "P" (on your key chain) was an unidentified lieutenant of Sebastian Carrillo Maldonado and worked between 1634-1665. I couldn't find any particular trend in shapes that weren't rounded up rectangular planchets except for one that looked kind of like a can opener. If you had that one your key fob could do double duty...

Thanks for adding to the coin posts. Those are nice. Who does your conservation work?

Do you have any closeups of the clump that you guys found a while back?

Thanks, Stan

We do most of our own conservation work.
The state does some for us as well.  Like recently
some canons and an anchor.

Here is a posting of a nice clump.
When we get them like this we call them cow paddies!

Wow ! I want more cow paddies. I think when I first joined I tried shooting some pics of some atochs coins I have. You guys amaze me   
TnMountains

Wow ! I want more cow paddies. I think when I first joined I tried shooting some pics of some atochs coins I have. You guys amaze me   
TnMountains

Hey Richard, tell me what your looking for and I'll keep an eye out for you. How's the relic and indian artifact hunting going? Any good finds? I got a new Explorer so we'll have to go digging sometime....Stan

Wow ! I want more cow paddies. I think when I first joined I tried shooting some pics of some atochs coins I have. You guys amaze me   
TnMountains

Hey Richard, tell me what your looking for and I'll keep an eye out for you. How's the relic and indian artifact hunting going? Any good finds? I got a new Explorer so we'll have to go digging sometime....Stan

 Stan
 We never made it to Rocky Face to CW hunt. I did great on ancient artifacts this year. Found a lot. Listen right after hunting season if you are interested I have some some very cool colonial/Cw sites and you are welcome to come hunt with me. I would like that very much. They are vigin sites and should be very very good. Full permission and  access.
 I need to shoot those cobbs again now that I have leaned to take better pics.I have another Atocha(3 now) I could add from Fishers original investors.
Richard