"P" stood for Peruwhen Lima first
opened in 1568 until it closed in
1588. The pre-1570 coins had the Carlos and Johanna
Pillar and Wave design until the shield-and-cross
design was adopted. The early Lima shield coins have
a below the mint mark that commemorates the
day the mint was founded on the Christian holiday of
the Epiphany, January 6, 1565. The mint was reopened
permanently in 1684 with the new Pillar and Wave
design and the "L" mintmark. This design was used on
all silver and gold coins until the advent of the
Pillar Dollar coins in 1752. The Bust Dollar design
was produced in Lima from 1772 until the final
closing in 1822.
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