18th century Spanish Silver Piece of Eight (Cob), found along James River shoreline Virginia (SOLD)

Being offered is a half of a Spanish Silver Piece of Eight, aka Cob: .774-inch diameter, dug at the James River shoreline, Charles City County, VA. It has the Aqueduct Mint mark of Segovia and was minted under Philip V. The spelling PHILLIPUS was used after 1718.

A cob 18th-century coin refers to an irregularly shaped, hand-struck Spanish colonial coin, often called a "macuquina" (Spanish for hammered). They were made by cutting chunks from silver or gold bars, hammering them to the correct weight, and then striking them with dies, leading to crude, uneven designs but consistent weight, serving as a primary currency globally.

Coins were cut in half in the 18th century to create smaller denominations for change when fractional coins were scarce, especially in Colonial America. They are often found at Revolutionary War sites and forts.

An image of both sides of a complete example is included for comparison purposes and is not included in the sale. The Spanish piece of eight offered here, will be an excellent addition to any collection.

This is a nice early coin, and the markings are still legible. It comes in the small acrylic display case pictured.