Silver reale 11 coin???

[Peg Leg]

I have been trying to figure this coin out.
It is a ll reale silver coin.
The date is 1721
Assayer is J J
Mint is P-O-A.
I have checked everywhere and what I was able to find is that in 1721 the Spanish mint closed where this coin was minted.
Forgot the name of the mint. Mel Fishers website was no help at all.
My problem is what does the O A stand for?
I come across some real strange things.
In fact I have a number of coins that are dated 1723 and are IV reales but I can not find a thing on these coins. It would appear that these were the last coins minted with the Shield because in 1723 the Pillars and Waves started being minted.
Just looking for a few answers.
Sorry no photos available right now-maybe later.
Peg Leg

[holeintoe]

Hey Peg Leg can you post a pic.

[Peg Leg]

Grubby,
I would really like to see a few scans of the coins.
Thanks
Peg Leg

[Narked1]

Could this possibly be the assayer? I've also found his name listed with an initial "J" before his full name.

"A new assayer won the coveted office of chief assayer at the mint in Mexico in 1705; José Eustaquio de León y Losa assumed those duties upon the departure of Lopez. To differentiate his mark from that of his predecessor, de León y Losa used his first initial, the "J" as seen on the vast majority of Mexican coins recovered from the fated treasure galleons of 1715. He served the crown well until 1724. It was during his term in office that the design of Mexico's coinage, gold and silver, became the beautiful pattern first seen on the output of 1714, then 1715. To us divers of the 1715 Spanish Plate Fleet, the initial "J" became as familiar as a family member, perhaps a best friend. Written by Ernie Richards copyright ENRADA Publications."

This is the only Assayer from that time period that I have found that used a "J" on reales. I have no idea about the mint mark though. Due to the location of the mint mark on the left side of the sheild I am assuming that it is stamped vertically. I have seen reales with the "P" stamped on it with an "8" stamped directly beneath it. Might be the P O A with the O and A actually being a number with the legs of the A worn off or not readable due to poor stamping? Would really like to see a scan of the coin.

Mike

[wreckdiver1715]

Peg, we really need to see some close-up shots of this coin. I am trying to figure this one out for you. However, too much does not make sense, and raises a few other questions concerning the coins origin.
On coins with the JJ, stamped on it, often means Joint Assayers, however, there were no joint assayers with JJ on new world coins for the period you stated was on your coin.
New world Mint Marks are "P" for the Potosi Mint 1573-1825, "OM or OXM" for the Mexico Mint 1535-1821, "RN-NR-SF or FS" for coins from the Santa Fe De Bogotá mint 1620-1819, and lastly, and just to confuse the issue a little more we have another "P" 1568-1588 for the Lima Mint and then "L" for the Lima Mint 1659-1824.
Also the Pillar and Wave cob coins date back as early as the early to mid 1500's.
Preliminarily, and based on the information you posted, I would say the coin does not appear to have come from any of the new world mints. However, I have learn't over the years that one should not draw any conclusions until all the facts are in.


Tom

[Peg Leg]

Wreckdiver1715,
I sent you a scan of both sides of the coin.
As I mentioned the letters P & O cannot be seen without a loop but the JJ is clearly visible and the letter A stands out.
Hope you can enlarge the scan and see something.
As far as the information concerning the Pillars and Wave I got this from Mel Fishers website which I am finding is not all that good and sometimes creates more problems that it solves-sometimes that is but not all the time.
Peg Leg

[Peg Leg]

NO NEED TO BE CONCERNED. I SOLD THE COIN TO A COLLECTOR. HE WAS ABLE TO SEE THE P.O.A. ON THE LEFT AND THE J.J. ON THE RIGHT.
Thanks for the help.
Peg Leg

[crzhors]

Howdy,I'm kinda new here, Check out this site for great history help,especially on Spanish coins.
http://historyhuntersinternational.org

[wreckdiver1715]

Welcome to Treasure Net...
Yep, thats the page Diving Doc runs out of the UK!

[Peg Leg]

Correction on the silver coin.
The P is an R.
The O is a C.
If anyone is interested.
Peg Leg