1651-52 Potosi 7.5 Reales NGC VF Details – Capitana Shipwreck
Item #TC-0159 | 1651-52 Potosi 7.5 Reales NGC VF Details – Capitana Shipwreck
Mint: Potosi
Assayer: E
Ruler/Period: King Philip IV
Grade: VF Details – Sea Salvaged
For details and population on this coin from NGC, click on the serial number here: 2175324-001.
Description: This is one of the most unique reales we have had the chance to own from the Capitana shipwreck. The unique planchet of this coin almost resembles the east coast of the U.S., with the tail being Florida. Strange circumstances aside, this beautifully struck coin has the full 1651 date visible on the reverse, along with a well centered shield, assayer and mint marks, and the devaluation stamp on the reverse for the Potosi scandal.
The La Capitana was a Spanish treasure galleon that served as the flagship of the South Sea Armada, tasked with transporting riches from the New World back to Spain. In 1654, heavily laden with silver and gold from the viceroyalty of Peru, including an enormous haul from the famed Potosí mines, La Capitana sank off the coast of Ecuador after hitting a reef while attempting to avoid royal inspections. Over 1,000 people perished, and much of the treasure was lost to the sea.
The wreck became famous not just for its wealth, but for its connection to the Potosí Mint Scandal. In the mid-17th century, corrupt assayers at the Potosí mint had been debasing silver coins—producing underweight pieces that still appeared legitimate. When this widespread fraud was discovered, it sparked one of the largest financial crises in Spanish colonial history. Coins recovered from the La Capitana—many of them misshapen or light—provided key physical evidence of the scandal. The event led to arrests, executions, and sweeping reforms in Spanish colonial minting practices, making La Capitana’s story not only one of tragedy at sea but also of deep economic intrigue.
In stock
$3,200.00
