Rare 1624 Mexico 8 Reales Cob From The Lucayan Beach Treasure

Item #CC-0449 | Rare 1624 Mexico 8 Reales Cob From The Lucayan Beach Treasure
Mint: Mexico
Assayer: “D” for “Diego de Godoy”
Date: 1624
Ruler/Period: King Philip IV
Grade: NGC VF Details
Weight: 27.02 Grams

For more details on this coin from the NGC database, click here 6698792-013

Description: This well-preserved Spanish 8 reales cob displays an almost perfectly round planchet, a large shield, and nice design elements on the reverse, including a well struck lion, castle, and portion of the cross. According to the NGC database, this is only one of two specimens graded in Very Fine condition, and none graded higher.

The Story Behind the Lucayan Beach Treasure

The Lucayan Beach wreck/treasure, sunk off Grand Bahama Island in the Bahamas. Since the accidental discovery in 1964 of around 10,000 silver cobs (dated up to and including 1628) in 10 feet of water just 1,300 yards from the Lucayan Beach Hotel, the mystery of identifying the lost vessel has never been solved. Because of the date, popular opinion associates the wreck with the taking of the Spanish 1628 Fleet in Matanzas Bay, Cuba by the Dutch pirate and national hero Piet Heyn, who reported losing two of the vessels on the way back to Europe. Three names proposed for the ship(s) by various sellers over the years were the Van Lynden, the Santa Gertrude (or Gertrudis) and the Romario, with scant evidence to support the attributions.

Practically all the coins have been Mexican 8 and 4 reales of the assayer D period (Diego de Godoy 1618-1634), some in quite nice condition and a few with clear dates, which of course are rare.

This beautiful and rare cob has a fascinating history and is a perfect piece for any collection of shipwreck treasure!