Philip IV (1621–1665). 8 reales. (165)1. Seville. R (Gerónimo Rodríguez). (Lan0732). (Jarabo-Sanahuja-C 517). Silver. 27.02 g. Three features are crucial for dating this partially dated coin precisely: the final digit of the date (1), the four-windowed castles on the reverse, and, above all, the small-square-shaped separators. Jarabo-Sanahuja note that, for this type, they have found only four-windowed castles dated between 1636 and 1662 (Jarabo-Sanahuja 380). Together with the final date digit, this leaves only three possible years: 1641, 1651, and 1661. No coins of this type were minted in 1661 . It is known that coins were struck in 1651, but that date is extremely rare, and no examples appear in recent auctions databases. Thus, only two dates remain possible: 1641 and 1651. The key to dating this example to 1651 is the small-square-shaped separators, which appear only on examples dated 1653 (for example, T&F 168, lot 419). This links the coin to the 1650s through its workmanship and stylistic similarity. The coin is therefore, with complete certainty, dated 1651 and is very rare; as noted, we have been unable to find examples of that date in recent databases. We recommend consulting Lanzarote’s detailed study of Seville eight-reales coins: https://siemprenosquedarae.wixsite.com/durosevilla/felipe-iv You can watch a video of the coin here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Deu5iZmo9ze/?srtk=MXUyNGY5ODBmb3lrdg==