#1849: 8 Reales (1722) SAN Nuevo Reino 24.648 grams / gramos. 

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Obverse: Crowned shield of Castile and Leon, with a pomegranate at the bottom of the shield.   The castles and lions are swapped from their correct positions, which is typical for Nuevo Reino. The legend around the periphery reads: "PHILIPPVS · V (· D · G) ".  The denomination "x VIII x" is vertical reading downward along the right side of the shield.  The assayer "SAN." is vertical reading upward along the left side of the shield.   A cord or rope separates the periphery legend from the inner design.  Reverse:    Pillars and Waves design, with crown of three globes atop each of the two columns.  None of the periphery legend is visible, if it were, it would read "(HISPANIARVM · REX)".  Located between the columns we have four lines of inscription: PLV / SVL / TRA / NoR.  To the outside of the columns we have on the left "x F x" and on the right "x S x".  A cord or rope completely encirlces the central design from the peripheral legend (if the legend were visible).    R/L M76-6,  L/R M76S-6,  C&T Type 142a, number 799.  Anverso:   Reverso: 

This is an extremely rare coin type of Nuevo Reino, or Santa Fe as the mint is referred to in Spanish numismatic literature.  In the classic 1953 work by F. Xavier Calicó, "Aportación a la Historia de Santa Fe de Bogotá (Colombia)", the author records two known eight reales of Philip V attributed to Nuevo Reino (Santa Fe); a 1721 of assayer ARC and a 1722 of assayer SAN.  Since that time a third coin has been illustrated in Calicó's "Numismatica Española" and Restrepo / Lasser, this being a 1742 of assayer Miguel Molano.  Interesting to ponder is a fourth piece photographed in Herrera's 1914 Classic "El Duro" as coin number 794.  Herrera says the date can't be read on the coin, the coin is a Molano 8 real, the  same design as the 1742 listed above.  When comparing the Herrera coin with the Calicó coin, they both look to be dated 1742.  In the commentary included in the Cayón Auctions 2001 sale of the Siegfried von Schuckmann Collection, at lot 3112 there is mention of a fourth specimen, "This collection does not include a specimen of Felipe V's reign of which only four pieces have been confirmed (1721, 1722, 1742 and an uncertain date)". 

The coin described here, #1849 is therefore the fifth (5th) known specimen, as it appeared on the market after the Schuckmann sale.  That means there are 5 pieces of Philip V eight reales from Nuevo Reino for the entire reign from 1700 to 1746. One of assayer ARC, two of assayer SAN and two of assayer M. If we conclude that Colombia did not switch coin designs from Charles II to Philip V until after the War of Spanish Succession ended in 1714, then it is five known pieces over 32 years, 1714 - 1746.

Dating the coin.

We date the coin as 1722 using the following reasoning.  The style of the coin is easily compared to the few known pieces of assayers ARC and SAN as mentioned previously.  The assayer mark "SAN" is clear,  the mint mark NR is visible as is the king's name, PHILIPVS. Joseph Sanchez de la Torre was assayer between January 1722 and July 1732, so this must be Philip V who was king 1700 - 1746.  If we compare this coin, #1849, with the known 1721 dated piece of ARC and the known 1722 dated piece of SAN, we can note some similarities.

#1849

172 SAN