Atocha Silver Bars, Recovered From the Atocha Shipwreck

Atocha Silver Bars

Approximately one thousand silver bars weighing between sixty and seventy pounds were listed on the Atocha's manifest when it sank off the Florida Keys on September 6, 1622. The majority of the ingots were the property of individuals, although one hundred thirty-three bars, shipped in thirty-four boxes and marked with a red crown belonged to King Philip IV himself.

Many Atocha silver bars were mined and processed in Potosi, now in present day Bolivia, and hauled great distances to Portobello, a Caribbean port in what is now the Republic of Panama. The cargo was then loaded onto the Atocha; each item registered as it was brought aboard. During processing, each bar was struck with a serial number and various monograms indicating the owner or shipper. The mint's assayer would then remove his "bite", a small piece that was tested to determine the purity of silver. Once purity was established, the ingot was struck with the "Ley" or fineness number, typically 2380 out of a possible 2400 or 99.2% pure. All bars not belonging to the king were also struck with one or more tax stamps indicating the 20% royal tax "Quinto" was collected. Some bars were dated.

Each bar was graded and assigned a class factor rating ranging from .5 to 1.0. The very best bars received a 1.0 rating and are characterized as being listed on the ships manifest and having a clear fineness mark, talley number, and at least a partial date. Class factor .9 bars are similar, but usually lack a date or have weaker markings. 0.8 bars are weaker yet, are almost always undated, but can still be traced to the manifest. 0.7 bars have at least two marks, but not of sufficient quality to trace the bar to the ships manifest. 0.6 bars have only light traces of marks and .5 bars have no marks at all.

Atocha bars are supplied with the original photo type Certificate of Authenticity and a booklet "Shipwrecks and Their Coins: Volume 1 - 1622 Spanish Treasure Fleet" that provides details about the fleet and its coins.

Atocha Bar - 85A-S545A
Class Factor .80

Click on bar to enlarge image for better detail

Close up image of the date

Click on picture to enlarge

Certificate of Authenticity

Item#: S545A
TSI#: 85A-S545A
Tag#: 4783
Manifest#: 4195
Class Factor: .80
Carat: 2380
Weight: 90 troy lbs 2.24 oz
Size: 36.1x13.5x8.5cm
Date: 1621
Owner: L. de Arriola
Shipper: L. de Arriola

Price: SOLD

This is an excellent class factor .80 bar that has all the features typical of those awarded the highest grade (class factor 1.0). It has exceptionally strong markings as follows: top center - "IIIIUCXCV" - tally number (the 4195th bar founded at the Potosi mint in the year 1621), left of IIIIUCXCV - "PxxZ1" - P for Potosi and 21 of the year 1621 (date of manufacture), left edge - "I with star above" - undocumented owners mark similar to that used by J. Nunez and found only on this bar, left 1/3 point - "monogrammed ARL with diamond above" - L. de Arriola owner and shipper mark, the same one used on the example bar image found on every certificate, center - "double-scoop assayers bite" - this style is found on bars founded in Potosi, lower center - "IIUCCCLXXX" - silver fineness (2380 out of 2400 or 99.2% pure), upper right - "B with cut below" - designates a B series bar whose purpose is not well established, lower right - "V" - the Atocha's silvermaster mark (Jacove de Vreder). In addition to these markings, this bar has a total of four tax stamps. This unusually heavy example is listed as number 545A in the book of "Spanish Treasure Bars from New World Shipwrecks" (which accompanies the bar). The bar is accompanied by the original Certificate of Authenticity as shown above.

TOP OF PAGE