1456

Cartagena(?), Colombia, "imitation cob" 1/2 real, (ca. 1815), extremely rare.

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / World Silver Coins - Argentina-Colombia Start Price:750.00 USD Estimated At:900.00 - 1,350.00 USD
Cartagena(?), Colombia,  imitation cob  1/2 real, (ca. 1815), extremely rare.
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Cartagena(?), Colombia, "imitation cob" 1/2 real, (ca. 1815), extremely rare. Cf. Restrepo-108.2. 1.2 grams. This fascinating piece lends itself well to professional study, as its interior design on both sides is rather complete for diagnostic purposes: On the obverse is a Philippvs monogram with clover shape below it (possibly an anomalous date involving a horizontal 8 with a small 0 above and 1 in the middle below, hence 810), and on the reverse is a cross with lizard-like lions facing opposite directions and straight-sided castles. In addition to a similar planchet type (low-grade silver, thin and with sharply cut sides), the lions and castles on this coin actually match other Cartagena royalist issues (see lot #1346 in our Treasure Auction #7, for example). The monogram, however, is a bit different, with small V placed above the central horizontal line of the H and garnished with a tiny cross at top left, whereas the other Cartagena issues show the V larger and below the H, where on this coin the mysterious 3-leaf clover (or imaginary date) appears instead. It is entirely possible that this coin was struck at some other royalist holdout in Colombia, like Santa Marta, for example. There is certainly ample documentation on record to show that necessity pieces were struck throughout the region during the revolutionary period and soon recalled. In any case, this coin is clearly well struck and high grade for the type (VF+), and obviously it must be very rare, since it does not appear in any references so far.