1797 1/2 Reale in an 18K Bezel - Sweet!

[randazzo1]

I was fortunate enough to recover this gem from a lot of junk purchased at auction. Now i would love for it to be shipwreck coin, but there just doesn't seem to be anyway for me make even a colorable attribution without a COA or at least some inkling of provenance.

I believe it is a 1/2 reale at just shy of 16mm. The bezel is stamped on the bail, but its illegible. Tests pretty fairly at 18K.

1 year off from being my oldest coin (1796 flowing hair liberty I dug up along the Raritan River in Middlesex NJ).

Let me know if you have any thoughts on it. Thanks.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Agony and Death on a Gold Rush Steamer: The Disastrous Sinking of the Side-Wheeler Yankee Blade - Grab it through Amazon!

[wheatfinder13]

Awesome find man

 

[N.J.THer]

Great find...was it a lot of junk jewelry or just a box of junk and that was in it?

BTW that was my 1796 Flowing Hair but you can keep it...I'm good that way...lol. If you are ever down that way again let me know.

NJ

 

[Ace350]

It is probably one of the coins sold at the Mel Fischer store down in Key West.
They also sell Spanish coin jewelry from other wrecks besides the Atocha.
Check it carefully. I have one that I picked up down there in a tourist shop that says "copy"on it. I was told it was made as a copy of a Spanish Reale but the silver it was made from came from a silver bar that was recovered from the Atocha.
Who knows. It probably isn't.

 

[Mackaydon]

Can you show a close up of the reverse side; where the mint mark and assayer's initials would appear?
18 mm would be the 'standard' diameter for the 1/2 real. If Mexican, the coin is .896 fine silver.

Don.......

 

[MNcoinhunter]

Very cool ... nice score !!

 

[detroitdigger]

That is such a cool find!!

 

[hamiddetecting]

Wow great finds

 

[randazzo1]

Thanks. I appreciate it.

 

[randazzo1]

wheatfinder13 - Thank you - much obliged.


N.J.THer - I'm out there pretty often. We've probably run into each other before.


Ace350 - I'd like it to be - but I agree with you. Probably not.


Mackaydon - See the photos below. I can't get the caliper around it well because its in the bezel - but I 'm estimating about 15-16mm.
The whole thing is 20mm


MNcoinhunter - Thank you


detroitdigger - Thanks - I think its awesome too

 

[Ace350]

I think yours is a real Reale!

I have a real 1/2 Reale on the left that I bought from Mel Fischers store in Key West.
It is from the ship El Cazador.
The one on the right is the one I bought from a downtown Key West tourist shop.
That is the one that is a copy that I was told was made from a silver bar found on the Atocha but of course that one did not come with a certificate of authenticy like the one on the left from the Mel Fischer store.

 

[pl8man]

Now that's some treasure ! Great find
Glen

 

[JmCraz8]

Fantastic find!!