BOLIVIA. Cob 4 Reales, 1646-P. Potosi Mint; Assayer Geronimo Velasquez (V). Philip IV. PCGS Genuine--Environmental Damage, VF Details.KM-17A; Cal-1102; Sellschopp-519 (plate coin). Weight: 12.61 gms. An <strong>EXTREMELY RARE</strong> assayer. While this compact 4 Reales piece does not display any legible portion of the date, it can be decisively dated thanks to a clear initial of the assayer Geronimo Velasquez, who put his name on Potosi coins only in the year 1646. The obverse displays a generous portion of the outer legend, reading "HISPANI", below the mostly intact Habsburg shield. The reverse shows some flatness and doubling but offers a well-centered cross. The surfaces are pleasingly toned to a deep cabinet gray with hints of warmth. A wonderful example of this exceedingly rare coin, plated in Sellschopp to boot. <p><em>The year 1646 must have been a chaotic one at the Potosi mint, as at least four individual assayers worked during that single year. Of them, Geronimo Velasquez is the only one to have begun and ended his term within just one year. Whatever the reason for his sudden departure from the assayer position, it is known that Velasquez was implicated in the Great Potosi Mint Scandal of 1649. He was among those executed for participating in the fraud, and coins bearing his initial were melted down or devalued. This contributed to the great paucity of surviving examples today.</em><strong>To view all items from the Pat Johnson Collection, click <a href="https://auctions.stacksbowers.com/lots?sort=auction_date_lot_number_asc&search=From+the+Pat+Johnson&limit=96&parent_category=1-11EIV&lots_range=upcoming"> here.</a></strong>From the Pat Johnson Collection.<p>Ex: Sellschopp Collection (Swiss Bank Corp - 09/1988) Lot # 682 (part of).
