Atocha Coin Mint
 Mint Marks
MEXICO CITY

O
M

O
X
M

LIMA

Early Period

P

Late Period

L

POTOSI

P

SANTA FE DE BOGOTÁ

R
N

N
R

S
F

F
S

MEXOCO CITY

O
M

O
X
M

The Mexico mint was established in 1535 and minted its first coin in 1536. It continued to produce coins in prodigious amounts up to 1821 when Mexico won her independence. Gold coins were first minted in Mexico in 1679 in the traditional shield-and-cross design. In 1732 the first Pillar Dollar coins were minted with the new screw press technology. The first Bust Dollar coins were minted in 1772.

 

 
LIMA

Early Period

P

Late Period

L

"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.

 

 
POTOSI

P

Potosi is located high in the Andes mountains in present day Bolivia, formerly the Viceroyalty of Peru. The "P" mintmark stands for Peru and was used by this mint from its opening in 1573 until its closing in 1825. The mines of Potosi were the richest silver mines in the world and produced the majority of the world's silver. The first coins Potosi minted were the shield-and-cross type after the La Plata and Lima mints closed. In 1650, all Potosi coins were recalled due to inferior quality and weight. The mint reissued coins in 1652 struck with the new Pillar an Wave design. Screw press coins were made in the Bust Dollar style starting 1773 until Potosi closed. Potosi did not make any gold coins until 1778.

 

 
SANTA FE DE BOGOTÁ

R
N

N
R

S
F

F
S

ATOCHA COINS

The mint  opened in 1620 and started striking coins in 1621.The mint was located near a productive gold mine in Colombia and was the first New World mint allowed to make gold coins. The first two years' production of gold and silver coins were lost when the Atocha sank in 1622. The traditional shield-and-cross design was changed to Pillar and Waves in 1651 and changed again tu Bust Dollar in 1759 with the advent of the screw press.



 
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