Spain. Felipe V. 8 Reales 1735 Mexico MF - Rooswijk shipwreck

Spain – Philip V (1700–1746) – 8 Reales 1735 Mo MF – Mexico City – Pillar Dollar – Rooswijk Shipwreck (1739) – With Certificate of Authenticity

Country: Spanish Empire (Colonial Mexico)
Ruler: Philip V (1700–1746)
Denomination: 8 Reales (Pillar Dollar)
Year: 1735
Mint: Mexico City (Mo)
Assayers: MF
Metal: Silver
Weight: 26.76 g
Diameter: 40 mm
Reference: Rooswijk Salvage No. R/174/443

Obverse: Crowned Spanish royal coat of arms, surrounded by the legend PHILIP V D G HISPAN ET IND REX. The denomination 8 appears to the right, with the Mexico City mint mark and assayer initials MF to the left.

Reverse: Two crowned hemispheres representing the Old and New Worlds, positioned between the crowned Pillars of Hercules above ocean waves. The surrounding legend VTRAQUE VNUM (“Both are One”) symbolises the unity of the Spanish Empire across the Atlantic. Date 1735 below.

Historical Context

The Spanish 8 Reales, commonly known as the Pillar Dollar or Spanish Dollar, was one of the most influential silver coins in world history. Struck in colonial Mexico, these coins circulated extensively throughout Europe, the Americas and Asia, becoming an important medium of international trade.

The Pillar Dollar played a particularly significant role in maritime commerce during the eighteenth century. Its widespread acceptance and reliable silver content made it an important currency for European trading companies, including the Dutch East India Company (VOC).

The Rooswijk Shipwreck – 1739

This particular coin is accompanied by documentation identifying it as recovered from the wreck of the Rooswijk, a Dutch East India Company merchant vessel that sank on the Goodwin Sands off the coast of Kent, England, in January 1740.

The Rooswijk departed from Texel in the Netherlands on 8 January 1740, bound for Batavia (present-day Jakarta, Indonesia). Shortly after departure, the vessel encountered a violent storm in the North Sea and sank with the loss of everyone aboard.

Its valuable cargo included Spanish colonial silver coins and Dutch VOC silver ingots intended for trade in Asia.

The wreck was rediscovered in 2004, approximately 264 years after the disaster. Subsequent recovery operations brought to light thousands of silver coins and numerous other historical artefacts, offering an extraordinary insight into eighteenth-century maritime trade.

Documented Shipwreck Provenance

This coin comes with accompanying Rooswijk documentation, including a Certificate of Authenticity and an individually signed identification document issued on behalf of the salvors.

The documentation specifically identifies the coin as a 1735 8 Reales Pillar Dollar from the Mexico City mint, recovered from the Rooswijk shipwreck.

Salvage reference: R/174/443

The identification document includes photographs of the individual coin and the signature of Terry Hiron on behalf of the salvors, dated 28 May 2024.

The accompanying illustrated certificate provides further historical information about the vessel, its cargo, the wreck site and the discovery of the Rooswijk treasure.

An interesting piece of Spanish colonial and Dutch maritime history, connecting the global circulation of silver coinage with the commercial activities of the Dutch East India Company.

Included: The coin, illustrated Rooswijk Certificate of Authenticity, and signed salvors documentation.

Please see the photographs for your own impression.

Shipping

All items are shipped with Track & Trace and will be carefully and securely packaged to ensure safe delivery.

Please note: Due to the current tariffs, shipping to the United States is temporarily unavailable.