The Census and Images of Surviving Santiago Pillar 8 Reales
Boosibri
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Cataloging and creating a census of Santiago Pillar 8 Reales is really less difficult than one might expect. First, because there are so few of them, the effort is minimal. Second, Carlos Jara’s work does most of the heavy lifting already.
The challenge with Santiago Pillar 8 Reales, aside from their absolute rarity, is that most, if not the vast majority, are damaged, recovered from adverse conditions, or have been mistreated in some way. In fact, in doing my original census of the most common date, the 1768, I found that while reports of 17-20 coins extant may be true, three coins are without some sort of significant impairment. While there are unsurfaced coins in South America, the fact stands that even the most common date has likely less than 5 coins which could be deemed reasonable “problem-free”.
There are 13 dates included in the 8 Reales series, with two dates, the 1761 and 1769 reported to exist with previously no photographic confirmation. In 2023, I was sent a photo from a collector in Indonesia who dredges rivers to find coins. He showed me a picture of a 1769 Santiago Pillar. He rejected my offer to sell the coin and subsequently sold it to a wealthy Indonesian collector.
The quality of survivorship varies greatly across the dates. Many have only 1-2 known and the surviving specimens are impaired or in best cases exceptionally low grade. The 1758 is the lone MS piece for the series, a MS61, ex. Brand, Zander, Craig Family, Karon, von Schuckmann, Lissner. Other notable problem-free examples are the 1755/1 AU58, the 1758 in AU58 which was found in Europe by Kent Ponterio and sold in a 2020 NYINC Sale, the 1764 ex. Cacho 8R which was sold in the Ponterio 129, the 1762 ex. Norweb, the 1767 in EF, and the three 1768’s in EF45.
I hope to keep this census up to date with images as others from past sales are found and any new examples which surface.
1751 - Two examples reported. Struck on smaller planchets in the first year. The examples do not show complete designs due to the issue.
1)The first example Jara notes that he examined the coin in a collection in South America.
2) Christensen7/1986 “Santiago” collection. Ponterio 3/1991, Viceroy Amat sale, Marti Hervera & Soler y Llach 1121 10/2021. The coin was ex. Don Canaparo prior to the Santiago collection.
1753 - Two examples reported and seen.
Th first examples plated in Dasi, Volume III P. 145. A second example clearly recovered from saltwater. Sold in a Jesus Vico 3/2020 auction for $43k hammer.
Dasi (plated in Yonaka as well)
Vico
1755 - Two graded examples, two 55’s (same coin graded twice), and a 58. The 55 is impaired and was smoothed to remove scrapes from the pillar side field.
First mentioned in Burzio as coming from the Adolfo Adriazola collection, to Yudelevich. Plated in Elizondo. Appeared in the April 4-5, 1997 Ponterio sale and realized $24,000. Note the legends on the shield side as a marker.
1) First mentioned in Burzio as coming from the Adolfo Adriazola collection, to Yudelevich. Plated in Elizondo. Appeared in the April 4-5, 1997 Ponterio sale and realized $24,000. Note the legends on the shield side as a marker.
2) VF, first appearing in Ponterio sale #129, January 6-7, 2004. Failed to reach reserve. The coin appears to have been expertly smoothed with subsequent Stacks sales in 2011 and 2024 and a Goldberg sale 5/2008.
Ponterio 8/2011, 
Stacks 8/2024 SP Rutherford sale Graded AU55
3) 1966 Parsons sale by Henry Christensen is notable as the Pillar side of the coin is engraved with initials. The coin is plated in Calbeto and noted as from the Christensen sale and while clearly the same coin, no initials noted.
Christensen 1966
Calbeto 
Aureo offered in 2012 (unsold) and 2021 ($15k hammer)
4) Noted in the 8/2011 sale as being found in Europe after 60years. Originally in a 2010 Heritage sale, failed to meet the $75,000 reserve. Sincona 10/2025. 
1758 - Jara notes in his work nine coins observed. I place in brackets after the initial numbering the coin which correspond to his census when clear.
1/(8) Only MS Santiago Pillar graded is the Virgin Brand (Schulman 1964), Randolph Zander, circa 1978, Freeman Crag Family Collection, to Paul Karon, to von Schuckmann, Lissner MS61, $55K USD hammer. Previously in the "One Hundred Classic Silver Crowns" Collection (UBS 45, 15 September 1998), lot 3144.
2) AU58, a wonderfully original coin found by Kent Ponterio in Europe. Stacks Jan 2020 NYINC sale, sold for $42k hammer.
3/(9): UNC Details, sold HA 5/2023 for $48k hammer. Ex. Kunker Auction 307 (June 2018, Lot 1272), Kunker 285 (2017) lot 157, Aureo 2012 248 lot 98. Possibly the UNC noted in Jara’s census which Mike Dunigan provided images of?
4(7): ex. Segarra, Millennia AU58 5/2008, 5/2010, 5/2011
5) AU Details, eSincona 10/2018 (unsold), Cayon 2/2017 (unsold), CNG 1/2011 ex. Patrick Tan collection $32,500 hammer
6/(4): Ray Johnson, Freeman Craig 5/1983 lot 107. Superior, December 1990
7/(4): Krause Plate coin in the Standard Catalog…Ponterio 6/1984. Note the scratch at the E in “QUE"
8/(5): Plated in Las Monedas Chilenas, now in the Banco de Chile
9, 10, 11 - Unplated and noted in Jara’s work. One F, one VF Harshly cleaned in the Central bank of Chile, one VF in a private collection in Chile.
1760: Jara reports 3 coins observed
1: AG Ponterio #32, 5/1984, to Viceroy Amat 3/1991, Hervera and Soler y Llach Auction 1121, 10/2021
2) VF: South American Collection
3) EF: Banco de Chile Collection
1762: Two examples observed by Jara
1) Calbeto coin, passed to Norweb
2) Coin observed by Don Canaparo
1764: Five examples noted by Jara
1) VG ex von Schuckmann 12/2001, Cayon 2/2019
2) AVF with Mozambique countermark. Originally in Jesse Peters Thomas Faistauer 4/1976 sale. Passed to Canaparo, sold in Christensen’s Santiago sales (1986), Ontario sale 36 in 4/1989, Viceroy Amay 3/1991. Stacks 1/2015, Heritage 8/2017
3) VF in private collection in Chile
4) EF confirmed by Dunigan
5) AU ex. Dunigan Ponterio sale 129. Ex Jesus Cacho from the Phillipines.
6) Sold by Aureo & Calico - Auction 248, lot 99. Possible coin 3 or 4 from Jara’s list.
1765: Jara notes two examples. Additionally one coin sold in Morten & Eden to bring the total to at least three or this reflects coins2 in Jara’s list..
1) VG Plugged, Ponterio 3/1995 sale 74
2) VF in private collection in Chile
3) Morten & Eden Auction 91, lot 751 12/2017, St. James auction 78, lot 1206 ex. mount 9/2023
1767: Jara notes four coins. One very nice EF sold in Cayon’s 2/2017 auction. Probably the Dunigan coin.
1) Fine in the ANS
2) VF in private collection in Chile
3) Ef in Banco de Chile collection
4) EF, photo provided to Jara by Dunigan
1768: Jara notes 17 coins observed. I can find 8 coins to image.
Coin 1 PCGS EF45 (my coin). Elizondo Plate
Diagnostic for the coin is the rich toning pattern
- Spink-Taisai 1987 lot 477
- Superior 6/97 S. Carlos Hernandez lot 6399
- Ponterio sale 124 lot 1533
- Heritage ex. Tarapaca (Luis Ponte) 9/2011
Coin 2 NGC EF45 ex. Calbeto, Millennia
Diagnostic for the coin is a spot on the obverse at about 8 o'clock
- Plated in Calbeto, Yriate
- Goldberg 5/2008 Millennia lot 987 39,000 hammer
- Unsold in Goldberg 5/10, 5/11, 9/12
- Sold Heritage 2/2012
Coin 3 NGC EF45 ex. FCC Boyd
Diagnostic is a planchet void at 4 o'clock on obverse
- Imaged Coin Collectors Journal 1945 https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/535806?page=6
- FCC Boyd 1975 ANA lot 1781
- Aureo & Calico 3/1998 Euro 16227 hammer
- Aureo & Calico 11/2012 Euro 15800 hammer
- Cayon 2/2019 lot 1024 Euro 26,000 hammer
- Kunker 3/22 lot 2675 24,000 euro hammer
Coin 4 Viceroy Amat
Diasagnotic is a scratch in top obverse field
- Stacks 1/1991 sale 46 ex. Juan Suros (Amat)
- Cayon 2/2012
- Kuenker 5/2022, now without scratches, polished & tooled
Coin 5 Alexander Patterson
Diagnostic is a chopmark in upper obverse field
Lot 295, Bonhams 1996 (Alexander Patterson sale)
Lot 50890, Heritage May 29, 2008 (2008 May Long Beach Signature World Coin Auction #3000) (Unsold, listed there as part of the Besalú Collection)
Lot 30162, Heritage Auctions 2018 August 17 ANA WFOM World Coins & Ancient Coins Platinum Night Auction - Philadelphia #3066 (not available on the HA portal).
Coin 6 the Gilboy plate
Coin 7 Calico plate
Diagnostic are scratches in upper obverse field
- Ponterio 4/1994 lot 982
- Aureo 2/1996 Lot 601
**Coin 8 Dasi plate **
**1769: Rumor of a coin in the orient existed as noted in Jara’s work. **
In 2023, a collector in Indonesia reached out to me to show a 1769 Santiago Pillar he dredged from a river. The coin failed authenticity at NGC but my hunch is the coin is real. He turned down my offer to purchase it and subsequently sold to a local collector.
1770/69: Jara notes two coins
1) VF in Christensen 12/1982, withdrawn from the sale.
2) XF in private collection in South America - Possibly coin 4
3) Aureo & Calico - Auction 248, lot 102, 11/2012, Auction 297, lot 1619 1/2018, Auction 379, lot 1370 12/2021
4) NGC 45 - Marti Herrera and Soler y Llach, Auction 1121, lot 2172 10/21
Comments
On the chopmarked 1768, I have the full provenance as:
Is this coin considered authentic? I believe in 2008, the coin was sent to NGC, who believed that it was not genuine, but the coin ended up in an NGC holder by the 2018 sale. If you have any other details on the provenance of that coin, let me know, because as the only known chopmarked Chilean Pillar it carries some significance.
The Indonesian 1769-So is fascinating, I hope something comes of that discovery; it's not the only known Indonesian river recovery to be considered a discovery piece - I once saw a prominent unlisted overdate Bolivian cob 8R (1644/43) pulled from a wreck.
EDIT: Totally forgot we previously discussed this piece on this forum, duh:
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1098733/the-census-of-surviving-1768-so-8-reales
PS - Excellent legwork, @Boosibri . Will you be pursuing that high grade 1751??
Great thread topic. Since I almost entirely only collect the minor denominations, I'm more interested the 1/2R, 1R, and 4R.
That is an easy piece of work. There are like 5 total pieces.
Latin American Collection
Perhaps if it came up. It just shows how low one’s standards must go to do a set.
The coin that surprised me was the 1767. That’s a wholesome coin that I didn’t have on my radar.
Latin American Collection
I've heard numbers more than five for all three. I've heard of two or three for the 4R and I recall six for the half real. I know the ex-Norweb 4R is AXF or XF and a forum member owns the 1/2R in G-06.
I’m sure you are right. I threw five out more to emphasize the significant rarity of the minors.
Latin American Collection
I saw in your opening post that the ANS owns one. Anyone check or able to confirm for other institutional collections like the Smithsonian or British Museum? Unlikely but they have huge collections with much of it generally not known.
I've also heard of long-term multi-generational collections by "old money" families in Europe which include Latin America. (RWB once posted inspecting at least one to my recollection.) Another unlikely but presumably the best source for any better coin.
Keep in mind that standards in connection with rarity really are a moving bar that is capable of being high or ranging to a low that recognizes when a coin is simply as good as it is going to get.
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
Excellent compilation @Boosibri !
How many examples in total, all dates combined, did you come up with? I have done this exercise periodically over the years and last time I did it, now some years ago, I came up with 52-55 Santiago columnarios in total. As you noted, most plentiful are 1768, followed by 1758.
I owned a 1768 which I bought at the Heritage/2008 auction. Then returned it as both NGC and a series specialist concurred it is not genuine. Since then, this coin has shown up in Chile, the last time at a local auction about 4/6 months ago, then withdrawn, presumably due to doubts about its authenticity.
I now own the 1764in VG ex. von Schuckman.
@Eddi : A very preliminary estimate of extant coins based on Jara's observations and recent coins since his book:
Coins observed or believed to exist
1751 - 2
1753 - 2
1755 - 4
1758 - 10 (Jara noted 9, the AU58 found in Europe is 10)
1760 - 3
1762 - 2
1764 - 5 (Assuming the Aureo coin was on Jara's list)
1765 - 3 (with the addition of the Morten & Eden mounted coin)
1767 - 4-5 (depending on if the Cayon coin is the EF in the Jara census)
1768 - 17 - 20 (Jara notes 17, most in SA)
1769 - 0 - 1
1770/69 - 3 - 4 (coins depending on the overlap in the Jara list vs recent coins to market)
Total 55 - 61 coins with >50% coming from the 1758 and 1768's
Latin American Collection
Interesting about the 1769 piece Boosibri. If it was rejected by NGC what hunch do you have that you believe that it's real?
The 1761 is assumed to exist due to mintage figures but no evidence has been found that any exist. If anyone can find one example I'm sure that you can ( that's a nice challenge for you
).
Edit. Great research and write up btw.
Peace
Well, I believe the collector who found the 1769 in the river in Indonesia. Many coins have been found that way. I offered him a nice sum of money and he rejected it, so I don’t think he is the source of any misrepresentation.
My instinct is that NGC rejected the coin because that was the path of least resistance.
Latin American Collection
I wonder if alloy trace analysis was performed on any of the pieces and if that can be the basis for getting NGC to accept the 1769 in the future.
The issue being that if the coin was found in a river bed, it most likely has surface contamination, making it hard to get a good reading of the metal. Being that it's a details coin anyway, a little edge scratch would probably be ok if that would get it in a holder.
Your research and willingness to share it here are both genuinely appreciated.
Awesome stuff.