Atocha bar from the left side - Note the bold P1622 date! The "IN3" monogram left of the date is the
personal ownership mark of J. Delgado. Numerous round tax stamps (Quintos) can be seen on the surface.
The double assayer scoop on top indicates the bar was cast at the Potosí mint. The assayer tested the
purity of the bar twice to confirm the fineness and kept the scooped metal as payment for services.

Atocha bar from the left side - Note the double assayer's scoop and slanted defense tax cut!
The defense tax cut indicated the portion of the bar to be cut off and given to the king to pay
for the defense of the fleet. The "V" in the upper right corner is the stamp of ship master
Jacobe de Vreder, who unfortunately went down with the ship and died in the wreck. All
bars had to be stamped with Vreder's initial to show they were properly recorded in the
ship's manifest and not contraband. The bold roman "C" next to the date indicates the bar's
mintage number - that being #100. The roman numerals below indicate fineness (2370/2400).

One item of interest is the "B with <> at top" monogram. This monogram belonged to
B. de Conay but on the bar it has been punched out indicating that ownership of the bar
had tranferred to J. Delgado ("IN3" monogram on the far left side). The four horizontal
lines on the far right may indicate the number of bars owned by this particular shipper.

To the right of the fineness number is the assayer's cartouche and it appears to be MEXIA.

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