Coin Description: Viceroyalty of El Peru, mint of Lima, Eight Reales 1697 H. From the reign of Carlos II, this well struck Lima 8 reales survived its 250 years on a wreck of the 1715 Fleet with only minor corrosion (mostly on the cross side) and a good weight of 26.6 gms. The initial (H) of the assayer, Captain Francisco Hurtado, can be seen at three places on the coin. Hurtado was the assayer who expertly launched Lima’s first gold coinage in the previous year. The date (16)97 is sharply struck in the center of the pillar side and partially visible in the legend at 7 o’clock on that same side.