Silver Bar

Accession Number1997.002.0002

VesselNuestra Señora de Atocha (1622)

Datecirca 1622

DescriptionThis silver bar was being shipped on the galleon Atocha by Juan Delgado on the account of an S. Navarro. Delgado’s mark – an angled, slashing line – is seen near one end of the face. Navarro’s is a prominent “N.” A central “scoop” on the face of the ingot is a characteristic of ingots produced at Potosí. It was made by the assayer when he sampled the silver to determine the ingot’s purity. Another set of smaller roman numerals read IIUCCCLXXX, showing the silver was 2380 parts pure silver of 2400. This silver ingot bears a larger Roman numeral CCCXXIII (323), meaning it was the 323^rd silver bar produced at that Andean mining center in its year. Two partial shield-style tax stamps are proof that the 20% tax on the value of the silver had been paid. A large “V” at one end of the face is the mark of Atocha silvermaster Jacobo de Vreder, and it shows that he had registered the ingot on board the galleon. The significance of other marks is not known. Juan Delgado was a prominent Peruvian shipping agent and was responsible for 181 silver ingots on Atocha and another 15 on Santa Margarita.