$ 1,570.00 USD Size Guide
Please Note: This is an authentic Spanish Reale Piece of Eight Treasure Coin, and you will receive the exact pendant in the photographs and description.
FOR PENDANT SIZE SEE COIN DETAILS BELOW
When we think of the treasure coins of pirate lore, the silver Spanish colonial coins of Central and South America immediately come to mind. Next time you read about the great pirates of long ago, Henry Morgan, Edward Teach (Blackbeard), John Rackham (Calico Jack), Mary Read, Anne Bonny and many others, these were the coins that drove their raiding and pillaging of land and sea! Even the great, and often maligned, “pirate hunter” Captain William Kidd used these coins to purchase rum and wine for his crew.
Crudely shaped and hand-hammered, these silver pieces of history are some of the most intriguing and beautiful coins ever minted. And because each coin was minted by hand, they are one of a kind. Unlike a machine minted coin, it is impossible for anyone else to posses a coin exactly like yours!
This silver "Piece of Eight" bears the Pillars and Waves design. This type is one of the most detailed and beautiful coins produced in the Spanish colonies, as the design actually tells the story of the “New World.” Read about this design below!
Robert's Notes: WOW! Stunning, deeply struck details on both sides. Virtually uncirculated. You just don't see coins of this quality much anymore. it ranks in the top 2-3% in the world. And Lima is a rare mint for this type of coin.
Beautiful strong cross, two visible dates - most of the time only one date is visible. "1" denomination, partial "PLV SVL TRA" PLUS ULTRA meaning More Beyond - See below. "H" assayer's initials, and "L" Lima mint mark. Partial PHILIPPVS for PHILIP V or Spain... most of the time this falls off the edge of the planchet.
The joy of this type of Reale is the depth and detail of the strike. Thick and strongly angled, each detail is highlighted in the gleam of silver.
Fit for a pirate king or queen!
While each coin does not have every detail, the most striking feature is the two upright “pillars” which represent the Pillars of Hercules; the waves below, the Atlantic Ocean. Starting in the 10 o’clock position there is a “P” for Potosi, next is a number for the denomination. Next is the assayer’s initial. The two or three numerals above the center wave are the date. Through the center runs the phrase PLV SVL TRA – “Plus Ultra” – More Beyond the Pillars of Hercules. On the reverse is the crusaders cross, with lions and castles in the four quadrants representing the early Spanish kingdoms of Leon and Castile. Coins minted in the 1700s will have three digits, i.e. 737 for 1737.
CLICK HERE to learn how to read a Pillars and Waves type coin.
