Description Pillars and Waves Cob Obverse: The left top: L for Lima Peru Mint. The middle top: 8 is the value of the coin (8 escudos). Top Right: M is the assayer (Felix Cristobal Cano Melgarejo) who purchased the right from Spain to run the mint. His stamp was assurance of the correct weigh and purity of the gold content of the coins minted. The office of the assayer was purchasable, transferable, and leasable. It was very competitive like the sale of a seat on the NY Stock Exchange. The most interesting part of the coin is the message in the middle three spaces, letters (P, V, A) an abbreviation for the Latin phrase “Plus ultra” and was the national motto of Spain. Associated with the Pillars of Hercules near the Straits of Gibraltar. In mythology it marked the edge of the then known world, and the pillars bore the warning that there was nothing further beyond. This was a statement from Spain that they went beyond the Straits of Gibraltar and were rewarded with the riches of the new world. Crowned pillars on the coin represent the Pillars of Hercules and the waves at the bottom the sea between them. Bottom three spaces: 721 is the date 1721. Legend around coin: ET YNDIARUM REX ANO 1710. = “and of the Indies King in the year 1710.” Latin INDIARVM with the I rendered as a Y sometimes = of the Indies REX = King ANO = Latin for year Reverse: The cross is not the unbalanced crucifix type cross but a symmetrical cross that was a symbol of the union of Church and state. When the perpendicular bar was added to each extremity it was called the cross of Jerusalem . In the four quadrants of the cross are two lions and two castles which represent the merger of the two medieval kingdoms of Leon and Castilla and later became known as Spain . Legend around coin: PHILLIPPVS V (King Philip V), D.G. (Abbreviation for the “Grace of God”), HISPANIA (abbreviation for Spain ). The original coin that the impressions for this replica were taken from was salvaged from the 1715 Lost Spanish Treasure Fleet off the cost of Florida. Diameter: 30.5 mm 24k gold plated lead free fine pewter. Made in the USA Packaged in a coin collecting flip with the description of coin printed on flip insert.
