Bolivia: Charles III 8 Reales Cob Silver Shipwreck Coin (1781) - This is an antique Spanish colonial 8 Reales cob from Potosi, Bolivia, circa 1781. Coins of this denomination were also known as silver pesos, or "pieces of eight," and were a standard monetary unit in Spanish America, Europe and even Asia. This coin was minted of silver taken from Potosi's Cerro Rico, stamped in that city's Casa de la Moneda, packed on a mule and taken to a coastal port, to be shipped in a galleon across either the Atlantic or the Pacific. Due to their widespread circulation and the dangers of maritime travel during that time, many of these coins were lost in various shipwrecks. This coin, one of the lost shipwreck coins, exhibits the effects of saltwater wear. Weight: 22.8 grams. AUCTION NOTE: Each item in this sale comes from the estate of Prince Lorenzo de' Medici of Italy. Prince Lorenzo de' Medici from the Medici family of Italy is an internationally recognized artist and a businessman, who has traded more than half a billion dollar in the art in his career. His father is Alessandro de' Medici who is descended from the famous Florentine Family. Ancestors of the de' Medici family include three Popes: Leo X, Clemente II and Pius IV, and two French queens: Mary and Catherine de' Medici. Each lot will include an appreciation letter from Prince Lorenzo for participating in his family's auction.