Lima Silver Cobs
The production of cobs at the Lima mint was sporadic, which is why we do not see as many cobs from this mint as we do from Mexico or Potosí. In the beginning, Lima produced pillars-type "pre-cobs" similar to the Mexican Charles-Joanna coins, but this only lasted for a couple of years. Then, in 1577, assayer Diego de la Torre designed a shield-type pattern that was mass-produced. His work was exemplary, making these shield-type cobs some of the most highly sought-after among all cob issues. By 1589, de la Torre had completed his work, and it was not until 1659 that the Viceroy of Peru ended the mint's hiatus (without royal authorization) with a brief "Star of Lima" issue, featuring a unique design. Finally, in 1684, the Lima mint reopened for good and began imitating the pillars-and-waves issues of Potosí until the new machine-made "pillar dollars" were mandated.
