In cooperation with the 1715 Fleet Society and its 300th Anniversary Commemoration of the loss of this
famous Spanish fleet, Cover Coins, whenever possible over this and the remaining issues, will be selected from the Society’s website study set. Next up is this ruggedly handsome piece-of-eight minted at the Mexico City facility and described on the 1715FleetSociety.com site as follows…
“Coin Description: Full and complete date 1715 Mexico Eight Reales. 25.7 grams. Full “OM” of “OMJ”. 100% full date and crown on the obverse. Approximately 45% of the shield, but what is seen is sharp and clear. The reverse shows a well centered full cross with all lions and castles visible but lions a bit weak and flat. Solid and un-corroded with an interesting shape and nicely toned.”
OBVERSE: Lacking a “panhandle”, we have here an 8-reales piece interestingly shaped like the state of Texas. If there is a better struck “cob” coin than this, I don’t believe that it has passed before my eyes. The iconic date, 1-7-1-5, and crown are fully complete, and what shows of the shield is amazingly sharp.
REVERSE: Not quite as “striking” as the obverse, the cross and quartered devices (lions and castles) are complete and fully evident…though flat. Just as the date is strong on the obverse, a portion of the reverse legend appears on the “flip side”, relative to the position of the date, as the strike alignments are
approximately 180º opposed … front to back.
– ER
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