Page 134 - Treasure, World & U.S. Coin Auction 17

Whydah, sunk in 1717 off Cape Cod, Massachusetts

599. Mexico City, Mexico, cob 8 reales, Philip V, assayer not visible (J), very rare and desirable provenance, ex-Sebring.
KM-47. 24.52 grams. Nearly full but somewhat weak shield, full but atypically doubled cross, clear mintmark and partial date (1712?), lightly
toned, curious shape, highly desirable for its very rare provenance, the only true pirate-ship treasure ever salvaged, whose precious cargo very
likely was looted from the remains of the 1715 Fleet by Sam Bellamy or other pirates. Tom Sebring, the current owner of this piece and author
of the classic shipwreck-coin-collecting book Treasure Tales (1986), told us he got more enjoyment out of owning this coin than any other
shipwreck piece in his collection! Pedigreed to our Auction #10, with original lot-tag #452 and with original museum tag #58300 from Maritime
Explorations, Inc. / Whydah Project, also accompanied by a copy of Tom Sebring’s COINage magazine article “A Coin from the Pirate Ship Whydah”
(June 2012) personally inscribed by the author to the winning bidder. Estimate: $3,000-up.

Guadalupe-Tolosa, sunk in 1724 off the Dominican Republic

600. Seville, Spain, milled 2 reales “pistareen,” Philip V, 1722J, rare provenance.
KM-307. 3.56 grams. Full but corroded details, one of very few coins recovered from this pair of
inbound ships whose salvage was famously reported in National Geographic magazine in December
1979. Pedigreed to our Auction #1, with original lot-tag #163. Estimate: $75-$110.

Chameau, sunk in 1725 off Nova Scotia, Canada

601. France (La Rochelle mint), ecu, Louis XV, 1725-H.
KM-472.9. 22.11 grams. Nice specimen for this wreck, very solid and
fully detailed (also lightly toned), with light surface corrosion only.
Estimate: $125-$200.

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