 Dom Joao VI, King, 1816-1822. Vila Rica Gold Ingot, 1809. 77.4 x 19 x 3.1mm, irregular extended rectangle, 57.3 grams. The crowned Arms of Portugal appear at left, 960 below. The upper surface bears two lines of stamps and symbols, N 3413, 1809, intertwined monogram CVR (Assayer Veridiano da Costa Rangel). The second line bears abbreviations for 23 Karats, 1 Onça, 7 Oitavas 00 Grao. The reverse shows only an Armillary Sphere, the opposite side of a die used to countermark Spanish Colonial Silver 8 Reales for circulation in Minas Gerais. Fr.106.
In his Numismatic History of Brazil, Kurt Prober recorded 40 ingots dated between 1796 and 1828, Gold bars comparable to the Pioneer Gold of the U.S. Gold Rush era. He knew of only three Vila Rica pieces dated 1809 including the example offered here, which is the largest and most impressive known of this date. This handsome ingot was a highlight of the Waldo C. Newcomer Collection, where Wayte Raymond described it as ''a Gold bar of Serro Frio dated 1809.'' Extremely Fine or better. (Est. $30,000-$35,000)
Ex Louis E. Eliasberg Collection (American Numismatic Rarities, April 2005, lot 1259); previously in the J.C. Morgenthau (Wayte Raymond) sale of the Waldo C. Newcomer Collection (February 1935, lot 115); John H. Clapp Collection.
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