The dust has settled from the outstanding January New York International Numismatic Convention Auction, and now Stack’s Bowers Galleries is looking ahead to the next world and ancient coin auction. The February Collectors Choice Online Auction of World Coins and Currency is sure to be exciting for collectors of Mexican Republic Reales coinage. There are over 500 Mexican lots in the sale, with over 450 First Republic Reales types. Most are ¼ Reales through 4 Reales, though some outstanding rarities of the 8 Reales denomination can be found as well. Many of the minor issues were once part of our very own Richard Ponterio’s collection and are being offered publicly for the first time since they were sold intact to a collector nearly two decades ago.
The standard design for the Quartillos (1/4 Reales) offered depicts a simple design with Liberty in a Phrygian cap (Liberty Cap) that was taken from the French Revolution. This was based on their idea of a "Liberty Cap" from a misrepresentation of the Roman "Pileus," which was a similarly shaped hat that freed slaves would wear. The reverse is simply a "1/4" at the center with an outer inscription. The ½ Real through 8 Reales all display the oft-seen radiant Liberty Cap design for the obverse with the reverse design dominated by the resplendent Mexican Eagle perched atop a cactus, holding a writhing snake in its talons and beak. An oak and laurel half-wreath appears below the motif, with the upper inscription "Republica Mexicana" completing the design.
Here is a brief selection of highlights from this collection:
1) 1/4 Real, 1843-Ca RG. Chihuahua Mint. NGC MS-62.
2) 1/4 Real, 1862/57-SLPi. San Luis Potosi Mint. NGC MS-62.
3) 1/2 Real, 1843/2-Ga JG. Guadalajara Mint. NGC MS-65.
4) Real, 1845-Ca RG. Chihuahua Mint. NGC EF-40.
5) Real, 1862/1-Do CP. Durango Mint. NGC AU-50.
6) 4 Reales, 1832-Zs OM. Zacatecas Mint. NGC MS-63.
7) 4 Reales, 1842-Zs OM. Zacatecas Mint. NGC MS-63.
8) 4 Reales, 1845-GC MP. Guadalupe y Calvo Mint. NGC FINE-15.
9) 8 Reales, 1847-Mo MF. Mexico City Mint. NGC MS-60.
10) 8 Reales, 1859-Pi MC. San Luis Potosi Mint. NGC MS-61.
11) 8 Reales, 1867-Pi LR. San Luis Potosi Mint. NGC MS-64.
We are currently taking consignments of world and ancient coins and world paper money for the upcoming June 2019 Collector’s Choice Online Auction and the August 2019 ANA World’s Fair of Money Auction in Rosemont, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. We are also accepting consignments of Chinese and other Asian coins and currency for our August 2019 Hong Kong Showcase Auction. If you are interested in consigning your coins and paper currency (whether a whole collection or a single rarity) contact one of our consignment directors.
