Rare Mexican Coin Certified by NGC Realizes $432,000 in Stack’s Bowers Sale

A nearly 300-year-old Mexican coin certified by Numismatic Guaranty Company™ (NGC®) realized over $400,000, topping Stack's Bowers’ NYINC Auction - Session C sale, which concluded on January 16, 2022. The sale featured hundreds of NGC-certified world coins, about half of them from the Pat Johnson Collection, a superb group of Latin American rarities.

The star of the sale was a Mexico 1725MO D Royal Coinage 8 Reales graded NGC AU 55. It bears the name of King Louis I of Spain, who ruled for less than eight months in 1724 before dying of smallpox. The coin (lot 2072) sold for $432,000, far above its pre-auction estimate of $150,000 to $200,000.

Mexico 1725MO D Royal Coinage 8 Reales graded NGC AU 55 and pedigreed to the Pat Johnson Collection. Realized: $432,000 Click images to enlarge.

Three other NGC-certified Mexican coins pedigreed to the Pat Johnson Collection realized more than $200,000 each, giving them the second-, third- and fourth-highest prices for individual coins achieved during the sale. They were:

• a Mexico 1711MXO J Royal Coinage 4 Escudos graded NGC MS 66 and also pedigreed to the 1715 Fleet (lot 2060) that realized $264,000
• a Mexico 1732MO Milled 4 Reales graded NGC MS 64+ (lot 2075) that realized $264,000
• a Mexico 1699/8MO L Royal Coinage 8 Reales graded NGC AU 58 (lot 2055) that realized $204,000

Other NGC-certified highlights pedigreed to the Pat Johnson Collection in the sale included:

• A Mexico 1747MO MF 4 Escudos graded NGC AU 58 (lot 2082) that realized $120,000
• A Mexico (c.1600)MO F Royal Coinage 8 Reales graded NGC XF 45 (lot 2050) that realized $90,000
• A Mexico 1723MO J Royal Coinage 8 Reales graded NGC AU 53 (lot 2069) that realized $90,000
• A Mexico (1536)R 3 Reales graded NGC XF 45 (lot 2044) that realized $84,000
• A Mexico 1643MO P Royal Coinage 4 Reales graded NGC AU 53 (lot 2053) that realized $78,000
• A Mexico 1866GO Peso graded NGC MS 66 (lot 2099) that realized $72,000
• A Venezuela 1858A 5 Reales graded NGC MS 65 (lot 2150) that realized $72,000
• A Bolivia 1827PTS JM Silver 4 Soles Pattern graded NGC PF 63 (lot 2017) that realized $60,000

Prices realized include buyer’s premium. Pre-auction estimates are provided by the auction house. All dollar amounts are US dollars.