Spain 8 Reales Fragment Of Philip V (1735) – Vliegenthart Shipwreck, NGC Certified

This NGC-certified 8 Reales coin fragment was struck under King Philip V of Spain in 1735 and recovered from the wreck of the Vliegenthart, a Dutch East India Company (VOC) vessel that sank off the coast of the Netherlands in 1735.

The Vliegenthart was carrying a vast cargo of silver coins—primarily Spanish 8 Reales pieces, commonly known as "pieces of eight"—from Cadiz to the East Indies when it met its tragic fate. Caught in a storm shortly after departure, the ship went down near the Dutch coast with its treasure-laden hull intact. The wreck remained hidden beneath the seabed for over two centuries before it was rediscovered and partially salvaged in the 1980s.

The 8 Reales coin was the dominant global trade currency of the 18th century, widely circulated across Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Struck in silver and featuring the crowned arms of Spain, these coins played a central role in maritime commerce and colonial economies.

This particular piece, though fragmentary, bears the unmistakable features of a genuine 8 Reales struck during the reign of Philip V—the first Bourbon king of Spain. It carries the weight of both historical and maritime legacy: a coin lost in a colonial-era shipwreck and rediscovered centuries later, preserved by the sea and authenticated by modern numismatic experts.

Encapsulated and certified by NGC, this coin fragment is a rare opportunity to own a tangible artifact from a documented shipwreck—a perfect addition for collectors of Spanish colonial silver, shipwreck treasure, or maritime history.