By Matt Puleo
On November 24, 2025, Capt. Mike Perna (Member #217), Thomas Roles, and I (Matt Puleo, Member #183) had been working to conserve a large grouping of Spanish colonial coins recovered during the 310th anniversary find. That day, we were conserving coins with the prefix #9040, which comprises 98 Spanish colonial four and eight reales.
The coin highlighted in this article, #9040-35, was one of the coins we conserved that day.
It is a beautiful 8 reales which was struck at the Mexico City mint under the reign of Phillip V. Notably, the coin is struck with a mule die combination. The Obverse is that of the Neat New Style (1714-1715) die type, and the Reverse is of the Old Style Bourbon (1712-1714) die type.
This coin is a great example of the marrying of the old and new die types under Phillip V at the Mexico City mint, and is a product of the transition to a much more compact and streamlined die type beginning in 1714.
Coin #9040-35 is one of the nicest examples of an 8 reales that we had conserved that day. It was a great honor to help in the conservation of coins recovered during the 2025 season.
Along with this article, I would like to give the 1715 Fleet Society an update. I will be leaving the United States shortly for 27 months to work with the United States Peace Corps in the Republic of Fiji. While there, I will be working within Community Economic Development.
I am very excited for this opportunity to learn from and work with the Fijian people.
Equally so, I am excited for the present and future of the 1715 Fleet Society!
If anyone would like to keep in contact via email with me, my email is mp634@icloud.com.
Thank you to Mike Perna and Sal Guttuso for allowing me to use these photographs in this article.
