Post your Pillar Dollars

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Boosibri
Boosibri Posts: 12,714 ✭✭✭✭✭
in U.S. Coin Forum

A key coin in early America and in global trade during the colonial period. The sashes around the Pillars lent themselves to the dollar sign we now associate with the US dollar.

Pillar Dollars were minted in Mexico City, Lima Peru, Potosi Bolivia, Santiago Chile, Nuevo Guatemala, Guatemala and Nuevo Reino, Colombia.

Mexico and Lima are common across most dates.

Potosi is scarer especially in high grade. Guatemala is scare with some dates very rare. Most are crude reflecting the primitive conditions of the mint. Mint state pieces are exceptionally rare.

Santiago and Nuevo Reino are rare as the mint primarily produced gold. Perhaps 50 Santiago Pillars Dollars exist with 80% being problem coins and most being from 1758 or 1768.

Nuevo Reino produced Pillar Dollars in 1759, 1760, 1762 and 1770. The 1760 and 1762 and exceptionally rare with 1-2 in private hands. The 1759 has about 15 coins extant. There was a hoard in a church which uncovered a group of previously unknown 1770 dated coins. All are blast white and in high grade.

Here are a few. Post them if you have them:
Santiago

Lima

Guatemala

Latin American Collection

Comments

  • golden
    golden Posts: 10,534 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I have always liked Pillar Dollars. Several decades ago, I started a date set of them. I got 6-8 of them and quit. I only kept the best one for type.

  • ajaan
    ajaan Posts: 18,004 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 25, 2026 7:48AM
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    oops


    DPOTD-3
    'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery'

    CU #3245 B.N.A. #428


    Don
  • Boosibri
    Boosibri Posts: 12,714 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Bump...There have to be more Pillar Dollars on the forum?

    Latin American Collection

  • Boosibri
    Boosibri Posts: 12,714 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Works for me

    Latin American Collection

  • U1chicago
    U1chicago Posts: 6,993 ✭✭✭✭✭
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  • RedRocket
    RedRocket Posts: 1,921 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    The reason I am not posting any Pillar Dollars is because I don't like being told what to do (thread title).
    Another lesser reason is because I don't own any.

  • RedRocket
    RedRocket Posts: 1,921 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @Boosibri said:

    @Tranquility said:
    The reason I am not posting any Pillar Dollars is because I don't like being told what to do (thread title).
    Another lesser reason is because I don't own any.

    You must not be married

    My wife likes to pretend that is true.

  • MEJ7070
    MEJ7070 Posts: 951 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Amazing group @JohnnyCache.

    Wow.

  • Boosibri
    Boosibri Posts: 12,714 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Wholesome Guatemalan minors are very scare! Nice group @SimonW

    Latin American Collection

  • Colonialcoin
    Colonialcoin Posts: 923 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @JohnnyCache said:
     
    1/2
     

     
    1
     

     
    2
     

     
    4
     

     
    Peru 1
     

    Stunning electric blue toning on your 1739 one real! That is my favorite color for 17th and 18th century silver.

  • Plus00Vltra
    Plus00Vltra Posts: 126 ✭✭✭
    edited February 6, 2026 1:07AM
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    @Boosibri said:
    Bump...There have to be more Pillar Dollars on the forum?

    I hear you loud and clear!
    This is a 1736 Mo MF 8 Reales from the Count of Aranda Collection:


    It now resides in a PCGS XF45 slab. Photos without the plastic are better.

    It appears that 1770 was the only year that all six colonial mints produced pillar coinage. That would be an epic set: one 1770 8R for each of the six mints. Nearly impossible since there are only two Santiago coins and 14(?) Nuevo Reino coins. Any takers for this 1770 challenge? The set would likely cost north of $150K to assemble, but only if one of the Santiago coins came out of the woodwork; @Boosibri might know their whereabouts.

  • lordmarcovan
    lordmarcovan Posts: 45,335 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I previously owned this 1761 PCGS AU50 but swapped it.


    My current coin is ten grade points lower but an earlier date, and I like it more, for the contrasting grey toning.



    Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.

  • Boosibri
    Boosibri Posts: 12,714 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @Plus00Vltra said:

    @Boosibri said:
    Bump...There have to be more Pillar Dollars on the forum?

    I hear you loud and clear!
    This is a 1736 Mo MF 8 Reales from the Count of Aranda Collection:


    It now resides in a PCGS XF45 slab. Photos without the plastic are better.

    It appears that 1770 was the only year that all six colonial mints produced pillar coinage. That would be an epic set: one 1770 8R for each of the six mints. Nearly impossible since there are only two Santiago coins and 14(?) Nuevo Reino coins. Any takers for this 1770 challenge? The set would likely cost north of $150K to assemble, but only if one of the Santiago coins came out of the woodwork; @Boosibri might know their whereabouts.

    I’d guess 3-4 1770’s are floating around. And yes, I believe I do know where one is. Problem for me doing the set is that I really don’t like the value of the 1770-NR. They are all white and conserved looking, though this is how I’m told they were found. Who knows how many really exist.

    Latin American Collection

  • MEJ7070
    MEJ7070 Posts: 951 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 6, 2026 5:01AM
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    My pillar 1/2R currently in Early America set.

    VF 30

  • WillieBoyd2
    WillieBoyd2 Posts: 5,410 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    My pillar dollar:

    image
    Spain Mexico City 8 Reales 1748
    Silver, 38.0 mm, 27.07 gm Assayer: MF

    :)

    https://www.brianrxm.com
    The Mysterious Egyptian Magic Coin
    Coins in Movies
    Coins on Television
  • jedm
    jedm Posts: 3,266 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 7, 2026 6:47PM
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    Great thread! I've just recently become more enamored these chunks of silver. Thanks to @lordmarcovan for the enticement that got me started a few years back.

  • WCC
    WCC Posts: 3,322 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 6, 2026 12:07PM
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    I only have two 8Rs but not with a picture. The Richard Stuart NGC AU-58 1770G 8R and a Bolivia NGC AU-58 1769 8R.

    I have a lot of the minors, mostly from Peru. Here are a few:



  • Boosibri
    Boosibri Posts: 12,714 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Fantastic coins @WCC

    I’ve been looking for a nice Bolivia 8R. Quite difficult

    Latin American Collection

  • Plus00Vltra
    Plus00Vltra Posts: 126 ✭✭✭
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    @JohnF said:
    I couldn't resist... just returned from my first-ever visit to Madrid and snapped this at the Royal Palace museum

    The pillars are also in front of Karlskirche in Vienna, Austria:

  • Boosibri
    Boosibri Posts: 12,714 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @WCC said:
    I only have two 8Rs but not with a picture. The Richard Stuart NGC AU-58 1770G 8R and a Bolivia NGC AU-58 1769 8R.

    I have a lot of the minors, mostly from Peru. Here are a few:



    That 1758 is stunning

    Latin American Collection

  • WCC
    WCC Posts: 3,322 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @Boosibri said:

    @WCC said:
    I only have two 8Rs but not with a picture. The Richard Stuart NGC AU-58 1770G 8R and a Bolivia NGC AU-58 1769 8R.

    I have a lot of the minors, mostly from Peru. Here are a few:



    That 1758 is stunning

    Thanks, I bought it from Coin Rarities Online.

  • WCC
    WCC Posts: 3,322 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @Boosibri said:
    Fantastic coins @WCC

    I’ve been looking for a nice Bolivia 8R. Quite difficult

    Thanks, but unfortunately, it likely doesn't meet your strict standards. Slight clutter in the fields and mostly untoned.

    Northeast Numismatics had a PCGS AU-58 several years earlier that has noticeably better eye appeal. It was about 50% more and above my price range at the time. I recall they also sold the PCGS MS-64 but that was way above my price range. I believe it used to be owned by a forum member.

  • SimonW
    SimonW Posts: 1,581 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 21, 2026 12:19PM
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    Can’t I just have ONE AU55 Bolivia 1767 or 1768 8 Reals with original color/surfaces and beautiful luster? For a reasonable price? Is that too much to ask?!

    Evidently yes…yes it is.

    I'm BACK!!! Used to be Billet7 on the old forum.

  • Boosibri
    Boosibri Posts: 12,714 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @SimonW said:
    Can’t I just have ONE AU55 Bolivia 1767 or 1768 8 Reals with original color/surfaces and beautiful luster? For a reasonable price? Is that too much to ask?!

    Evidently yes…yes it is.

    There is a very nice one at stacks about two years ago that I wish I would’ve bought

    Latin American Collection

  • MEJ7070
    MEJ7070 Posts: 951 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Recent addition to my Early America set……

    VF 30

  • Boosibri
    Boosibri Posts: 12,714 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Latin American Collection

  • Colonialcoin
    Colonialcoin Posts: 923 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @SimonW said:
    Guatemala type set. These are my current highest grades of the Guatemala coins I own. They’ve been hard to find.

    Fantastic type set!

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