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Atocha Silver Bars
The Atocha carried over one thousand silver bars, as
listed on the Atocha's manifest, when it sank
off the Florida Keys on September 6, 1622. The majority of the ingots weighed between
sixty and seventy pounds and 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.
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Click on picture to enlarge
Certificate of Authenticity |
Item#:
9108
TSI#: 85A-S296
Tag#: 2182
Manifest#: 4193
Class Factor: 1.0
Carat: 2380
Weight: 86 troy lbs 5.44 oz
Size: 34.1 x 13.9 x 8.5 cm
Date: 1621
Owner: L. deArriola
Shipper: L. deArriola to self
Price:
SOLD
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| Excellent, heavy
weight, class
factor 1.0 bar with a very clear date. The bar is full of
exceptionally strong markings as follows:
left edge - "staff topped with a star" - undocumented
owners mark similar to that used by J. Nunez and found only on
bars owned by Arriola, lower left corner - "B"-
another unknown mark still under study,
right of staff with
star - "monogrammed ARL with diamond above"-
L. de Arriola owners mark, the same one used on the
example bar image found on every certificate of authenticity,
above diamond - "1621" - the date the bar was founded at
the Potosi mint, top center - "IIIIUCXCIII"
- tally number (the 4193rd bar founded at the Potosi mint during
the year of 1621), middle center below
IIIIUCXCIII - "double-scoop assayers bite" - this style
is only found on bars founded in Potosi,
bottom center - "IIUCCCLXXX" - silver fineness (2380 out
of 2400 or 99.2% pure), bottom
right - "V" - the Atocha's silvermaster mark (Jacove de
Vreder). In addition to these markings, this bar has four tax
stamps, some of them being quite clear. This bar is
listed as number 296 in the book of "Spanish Treasure Bars from
New World Shipwrecks" (which accompanies the bar). The bar is
also accompanied by the original Certificate of Authenticity
issued by Mel Fisher's company, Treasure Salvors Inc., shown
above. |
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Click on picture to enlarge
Certificate of Authenticity |
Item#:
4131
TSI#: 85A-S171
Tag#: 2174
Manifest#: 4717
Class Factor: 1.0
Carat: 2380
Weight: 79 troy lbs 6.24 oz
Size: 35.5 x 13.0 x 8.7 cm
Date: 1621
Owner: Elvira Diaz
Shipper: J. Delgado
Price:
SOLD
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| This is an excellent class
factor 1.0 bar with a very clear date. The bar is full of
exceptionally strong markings as follows:
lower
left - "V" - the Atocha's silvermaster mark (Jacove de
Vreder), right of V - "diagonal cut"-
marks the portion of bar to be removed at the trips
conclusion to pay the defense tax,
top
left - "+" - Jerusalem cross signifying the union of
Church and State, right of cross - "monogrammed
ELVR"-
Elvira Diaz owners mark, found on only six bars, this
being the nicest,
below owners mark - "two round stamps" - two nice
tax stamps signifying payment of the King's fifth,
top center - "IIIIUDCCXVII"
- tally number (the 4717th bar founded at the Potosi mint during
the year of 1621), middle center below
IIIIUDCCXVII - "1621" - the date the bar was founded at
the Potosi mint, right of 1621 date "double-scoop assayers bite" - this style
is only found on bars founded in Potosi,
bottom center - "IIUCCCLXXX" - silver fineness (2380 out
of 2400 or 99.2% pure), top
right - "chop marks over V" - a cancelled attempt at
stamping the owners mark. In addition to these markings, this bar has
a third tax stamp to the lower right of the double-scoop
assayers bite. This bar is listed as number 171 in the
book of "Spanish Treasure Bars from New World Shipwrecks" and is
accompanied by the original Certificate of Authenticity issued
by Mel Fisher's company, Treasure Salvors Inc. as shown
above. |
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