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What's worth?

2 Reales cob coin, from Potosi, Bolivia,  minted between 1573-76

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  • Moises --

    The coin looks genuine, as best I can tell from your pictures. However, I can't make out the date or mint mark. Also, I don't know why the surfaces are so dark. Both these factors will lower the value of the coin.

    General guidance on values of these coins appears on this page:

    https://coinquest.com/cgi-bin/cq/coins.pl?coin=18026

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    • Paul Richards The coin was made between 1573-1576 is from Potosi, on the left side has P below the P has  an R, on the right side has an N and all the details are visible on the coin

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    • Paul Richards 

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  • Correction, it's not an R, its a B under the P

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  • I looked through much of my database, and you don't see many Potosi 2 reales with assayer B (the PB on the left).

    The one in my picture sold for $246 in a 2020 auction. Here is the auction description:

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    Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC > Treasure Auction 27

    Lot number: 1621

    Price realized: 246 USD   (Approx. 224 EUR / 201 GBP / 239 CHF)

    Potosi, Bolivia, cob 2 reales, Philip II, assayer B (2nd period). S-P6; KM-3.2. 6.28 grams. Very broad flan with much legend and crown, bold P-B and denomination ii, good full shield and cross, deeply toned VF.
    ($80-$120)

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    The auction house estimated $80 to $120. The $246 hammer indicates that this is indeed a rare coin.

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    • Paul Richards Well, that coin might be sold for $246.00, but my coin looks way much better, not a scratch on it, by the way it is at NGC for grading and it was made between 1574-1586 acording what NGC sent me so far. So when it is graded it will be worth much more!!!!

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  • I got my coin back, dissappointed that NGC graded vf30, I was expecting it to be at least AU or better, I've seen other coins worst than mine been graded AU!!!

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  • Moises --

    I wouldn't worry about the VF30. That's a well respected grade for these old coins, and they stand on their own merits, no what the slab says.

    Here is another picture from my database. This one sold for $2200 with the following description:

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    Potosi, Bolivia, cob 2 reales, Philip II, assayer B (5th period), border of x's on reverse, Grade 2.S-P14; KM-3.4; Cal-370.6.00 grams.Finely detailed full shield and cross (the latter slightly off-center) with only very light surface corrosion on obverse, clear assayer B (certificate says assayer B/R in error), clear border of x's on reverse.With Fisher tag and certificate #94A-12438. From: Atocha, sunk in 1622 west of Key West, Florida ($1000-1500)...

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    If you haven't talked with Daniel Sedwick yet, you probably should. He's the recognized expert:

    https://www.sedwickcoins.com/

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  • Thanks for the information my friend!!!!!

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  • Here is the coin graded by NGC, even that i do not agree with the grading. Because I have seen worst coins been graded as AU and this coin is in great shape, you can see all the details on both sides !!!!

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  • Hi again, Moises --

    Back when I was dealing coins (30 years ago), I would send off gorgeous coins to the grading services, only to be disappointed with the resulting grades.  I was very small-time (day job was as a radar engineer) and I  carried zero weight in the numismatic community. Of, say, 100 coins I sent in, all but one disappointed me. The one coin -- I still remember it -- was a Martha Washington test piece, which graded MS66. All I was hoping for was better than AU. Haha!

    Your coin is great. I like your new pictures and I like your coin's appearance in the holder.

    Looking through my database again, there are very few 2 reales. Most are 8 reales. This one, however, shows up in a 2017 Heritage auction, realizing $420 US dollars. Not bad.

    How my pictured coin grades VF25 and yours grades VF30 is kinda ridiculous. But such is life in small-time numismatics.

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    • Paul Richards I Like that coin too, has lots of details on it. I agree with you, sometimes the grading should be more than a VF 25!!!!

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