1783 Spanish Empire (Mo Mint) 8 Reales, NGC Genuine, El Cazador shipwreck

Description

1783 Spanish Empire (Mo, from the Mexican Colonial Mint) 8 Reales, NGC Genuine, recovered from the El Cazador shipwreck.  It's a coin with a story!  Proud descendant of the European Thaler, that added more fascinating history to its lineage as a Large Silver Coin.
Some of you may know the story of the El Cazador...fighting warship and a brig of the King's Caribbean Fleet during the colonial times of New Spain.  Gold and silver were being mined in global record amounts, and so the "pieces of 8" was arguably the money everyone saw and depended on more than even Americans did their own U.S. coinage.  In 1784, the City of New Orleans, Spanish territory, was in distress as the urban area markets had few coins and untrusted paper money in circulation.  So, to keep the colony strong, El Cazador was dispatched from Mexico to New Orleans with a full load of Spanish silver coins.  It departed but never arrived, and was never heard from again.  No one even knew why it vanished, as bad weather likely was unseen from its point of origin nor its destination.  New Orleans never got this help; it was transferred to France, then Napoleon sold it and vast territory to the U.S.  The wreck was found, but in 1993 by fishermen.
It is astounding to imagine the "what ifs" here.  If El Cazador, known to be a flagship with a fine crew, had made it, New Orleans would be too prominent for Spain to let go of, and the chain of events afterwards may not have happened.
This eight Reales, in a "slab" marked by NGC with a depiction of El Cazador, is in Choice XF or AU condition, with lustre, no sign of having been scrubbed, and with so much detail the imperial motto "Plus Ultra" mostly appears clearly around the gateway of the Mediterranean Pillars of Hercules:  "Everything beyond Here!"  And the world nearly was all Spain's.  This is the Spanish kingdom's motto today.
For the collector who must have history in their coins, this is a premium, minimally salt water-damaged specimen offered for acquisition.  Shipped with signature tracking for your assurance.