Description:

Pre-Columbian, Valley of Mexico, Aztec, ca. 15th century CE. A hammered-copper currency piece in the shape of a hoe with a short neck and a broad, crescent-shaped blade. This standardized currency in the pre-Columbian Mesoamerican world was thought to be equal to roughly 8000 cacao seeds. In the early days after the Spanish conquest, this type of currency continued to be used in the absence of minted coins from Spain. Size (currency piece): 4.7" L x 6.3" W (11.9 cm x 16 cm); (Riker box): 6.125" L x 8.125" W (15.6 cm x 20.6 cm)

Provenance: ex-private Bishop Family Trust collection, the Trust of the late Bill Bishop, a noted antiquarian with shops in Scottsdale, Arizona and Allenspark, Colorado, USA, acquired before 2010

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#173211

  • Condition: Slight bending to overall form, with light abrasions and earthen deposits, otherwise intact and very good. Nice patina throughout. Displayed within a modern Riker box.

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December 15, 2022 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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