WORLD COIN:THE HAMMERED COINS-SPANISH SILVER REALES "COB"

The Spanish Silver Reales Hammered Coins-"Cob"

Rarity:RRR



"Cobs"(Real Batu).Obverse.



"Cobs"(Real Batu).Reverse.

Hammered coins were produced by placing a blank piece of metal between two dies, and then striking the upper die with a hammer to produce the required image on both sides. The planchet was usually cast from a mold. The bottom die was usually counter sunk in a log. One of the minters held the die for the other side in his hand while it was struck either by himself or an assistant.



Spanish/Mexico Silver 'Cob'.
8 Reales.Obverse.
(Tan Tai Seng Collection)

Spanish/Mexico Silver 'Cob'.
8 Reales.Obverse.
(Tan Tai Seng Collection)















These Spanish/Mexico silver reales hammered coins are belonged to Mr.Tan Tai Seng.There were given to him by Mr.Tan Eng Wan,the Penang famous coin dealer on Penang Island.



Spanish Seville.Silver Reales 'Cob'.
4 Reales.Obverse.
(Tan Tai Seng Collection)

Spanish Seville.Silver Reales 'Cob'.
4 Reales.Reverse.
(Tan Tai Seng Collection)



















In 1993,Mr.Tan Eng Wan found a lot of 200 over pieces of Spanish Silver Reales/Cob sold by a trader by the seaside of Jakarta when he was on a tour in Indonesia.There were mixed of 2,4 and 8 reales Spanish Silver Cobs and was told there were the salvage from the Santa Maria shipwreck.He bought the whole lots from the trader and was told that there were two pieces of heart shaped Spanish Gold Escudo Cobs were sold to a gold smith shop nearby.Mr.Tan Eng Wan immediately went to the gold smith shop but the owner of the goldsmith shop refused to tell the truth and declined to admit that he has bought the two pieces of  heart shaped Spanish Gold Escudo Cobs.



Spanish/Mexico Silver 'Cob'.
2 Reales.reverse.
(Tan Tai Seng Collection)

Spanish/Mexico Silver 'Cob'.
2 Reales.Obverse.
(Tan Tai Seng Collection)







In the same year,Mr.Tan Eng Wan took that lot of  Spanish Silver Reales/Cob, went to Hong Kong with Mr.Tan Tai Seng.He cherry picked each denomination a  piece gave to Mr.Tan Tai Seng and the rest sold to an American dealer for a good profit.

A piece of heart shaped Spanish Gold Escudo Cob was put on auction at the same time and was sold for thirty over thousand American dollar,apparently it came from the same shipwreck of Santa Maria!

Posted in: World Ancient Coins