LOT #33273 |
Current Bid: $15,000
Mexico: Philip V gold "1715 Fleet" Cob 8 Escudos 1713 MXo-J MS63 NGC,...
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Description
Choice 1715 Fleet 8 Escudos
Philip V gold "1715 Fleet" Cob 8 Escudos 1713 MXo-J MS63
NGC, Mexico City mint, KM57.1, Cal-2211. 26.75gm. A luxurious
Choice representative of the "MXo" type, exhibiting the admired
Crosslet-end cross reverse design. A clear date, prominent mintmark
and assayer paired with brilliant preservation make this a piece
sure to turn heads.On July 30th, 1715, a Spanish treasure fleet, which would later be famously known as the 1715 Fleet, encountered a hurricane that claimed a sizable portion of its galleons and crew. A reported 1,000 lives and 14 million pesos were lost, including an equal amount of treasure in contraband. It's hard to estimate the value lost when measured in today's currency, but one can imagine the extensive caliber of cargo when considering the convoy was a combination of two different fleets: the Nueva España Fleet, which got stuck in Veracruz for two years before it could join the Tierra Firme Fleet. After more delays in Havana, a 12-13 ship convoy left with an enormous amount of accumulated cargo, never to reach Spain. The Spaniards salvaged the wreck for a few years afterwards, recovering nearly half of the official cargo from shallow-water wreck sites. Modern salvaging began when Florida resident Kip Wagner found a "piece of eight" at a beach after a hurricane and was intrigued by its origins. With old maps, metal detectors, a small plane, and a permit from the state of Florida, Wagner located wreck sites and artifacts, ultimately putting together a team of archeologists, divers, and investors. This was the beginning of the Real Eight Company. As the Real Eight team combed the seabed with suction machines, they found jewels, emeralds, Chinese porcelain, silverware, and gold & silver ingots. Furthermore, they found as many as 10,000 gold Cobs and over 100,000 silver Cobs. These huge discoveries uncovered yet-unknown numismatic pieces and ultimately made rare gold Cobs "common" (though still very high-end for collectors). The salvaged coins were mainly from Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia, minted primarily between 1711 and 1715, although numerous earlier pieces from the 1600's were also recovered. As modern salvaging continues in these underwater sites, we expect many more exciting discoveries to be made, including the recovery of the last five or six ships that have yet to be found.
Metal: Gold
Weight: 27.07g
AGW: 0.7981oz
More information about Mexican Coins. See also: Mexico World Coin Nationality.
Estimate: $15,000 - $20,000.
Auction Info
2026 September 1 - 5 ANA World & Ancient Coins Platinum Session and Signature® Auction #3135 (go to Auction Home page)
Proxy Bidding Ends
September
3rd
Thursday
4:50 pm CT
Auction Dates
September
1st-5th
Tuesday-Saturday
Proxy Bidding Time Remaining
17 Days
21h 3m 31s
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 12
Lot Tracking Activity: 55
Page Views: 366
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
22% of the successful bid (minimum $29) per lot.
This lot is in: 4 -
Signature® Floor Session - Platinum Session (Live Floor, Live Phone, Mail, Fax, Internet, and Heritage Live):
(Lots 33001-33326) - 5:00 PM Central Time, Thursday, September 3, 2026.
[Proxy bidding ends ten minutes prior to the session start time. Live Proxy bidding on Heritage Live now starts within 2 hours of when the auction opens for proxy bidding and continues through the live session.]
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Additional Location Info:
Heritage Auctions - Dallas
2801 W. Airport Freeway
Dallas, TX 75261
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