Other cobs and coins from Honduras

[scube]

As mentioned in the previous posting (1677 8-Reale), I wanted to post these other cobs and coins I picked up there in the early 80's (I didn't realize how old I was getting until I figured out when I was there!)

This first one is this 1881 Peruana Lima with an overstamp on both sides from Republic of Guatemala with that overstamp die dated 1834, 1/2-reale. The coin is in such beautiful condition I couldn't help picking it up even though I have no idea what the overstamp from Guatemala does to/for it:

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Then there was the two cobs, one with a stamped backwards "2" on the "23" (1723?) side. Roughly stamped out, but in really good shape also....except for the stamped "2" which is really a clear, clean stamp:

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Pete

 

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[Mackaydon]

I hope they are real. Caution: the top coin has been replicated by others:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...1/like/170548989300+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

 

[scube]

I really don't believe that these are anything but real for a number of reasons. Primarily because they came from the hinterlands of Honduras where there wasn't much around. Secondly because of how long ago (1983) I picked them up. And thirdly these were in an old cigar box of coins that were being collected to melt down. Perhaps I am just being naive, but I didn't even realize the Peru-Guatamala overstamp would be valuable or collectable to bother replicating.....

Thanks for the heads up though. Is the overstamp that rare to have a market in replicas

Pete

 

[Mackaydon]

I'm also concerned about the "23" coin. If you believe it's from Guatemala (since Honduras had no mints) then I can't explain the date since the Guatemala mint only produced pillars and waves cobs between 1733 and 1753. The '23' would represent the last two years of the mint date.
Don.....

 

[scube]

I hope I am not confusing the issue too much here. I have no claim that these coins are from any specific country -- I just simply collected them while in Honduras. The only Guatemala coin talked about is the Peru overstamp by a Guatemala die. I had always presumed that these coins had found their way into Honduras via travellers of the time. I certainly don't think the "1677" 8-Reale is either Guatemala or Honduras, as I don't think the two cobs are either.

The stamped-in backwards number "2", being so clear, is also puzzling me. As is the "I677" on the 8-Reale.

So, to reiterate, I claim NO knowledge or supposition as to where the coins were struck or originated....only where I picked them up (Honduras) and only as what the coin might state on its' surface. That's kind of why I posted them here to tap into this vast knowledge base to see what I have.

Appreciate any time that you all take.

Pete

 

[Mackaydon]

Scube:
Thanks for the clarity.
Is the '77 8R on this thread?
I don't see it. If it isn't, can you give me the link?
Thanks,
Don.

 

[scube]

Thanks Don,
It's the post one or two down from this one (I posted three together) here in Spanish Cobs and titled 1677 8 Reale. Take a look if you would.
Thanks again.
Pete

 

[divewrecks]

The 1734 I reale cob looks authentic. It is from the Lima mint. I can't speak to any of the others.

Stan

 

[realeswatcher]

Honduras DID make cobs.. post-Colonial

I'm also concerned about the "23" coin. If you believe it's from Guatemala (since Honduras had no mints)...

Honduras didn't have a colonial mint... However, in the immediate "Post-Colonial" period (1823, 24), they did mint what are often (confusingly) called "imitation cobs"... They certainly ARE cob-style coins, only imitation in that they were regurgitating the familiar style of the old colonial pieces. Besides Honduras, some provinces in Venezuela (the most well-known), Argentina and Nicaragua produced similar pieces during this 1820's period.

In terms of style, they all have some variation of the Pillars and Waves "Tic-Tac-Toe" design... However, the actual stamping of info - denomination, dates, assayer, mintmark, etc. - often shows an array of various positionings, rotated digits/letters, wrong dates (or some other numbers that possibly meant something to someone), etc.

A few examples of Honduras pieces:
http://auction.sedwickcoins.com/Tegucigalpa-Honduras-imitation-cob-2-reales-1823-P-Y_i8646025
http://ponterio.com/auctions/AuctionLot.aspx?LotID=96269

Regarding whether this particular piece is authentic... Well, the Honduras issues ARE known to have been frequently faked. You would have to have a real expert take a look - this is a very specialized niche. The piece doesn't necessarily look automatically fake like that Potosi 8R "Royal" you posted... and it was also keeping company with an apparently authentic (though much more common) worn Lima 1 Real cob... I wouldn't get my hopes up, but it's worth getting an expert (underline expert, not someone who sort of kind of knows a little about cobs) to take a look. If nothing else, that reversed stamped "2" is somewhat intriguing by itself...

On a semi-related note, there are also the almost-contemporary Indian fakes (as in Native American Indian)... These are kind of similar to the post-Colonial imitations mentioned above in that they too are "off" compared to the standard Potosi/Lima pieces. While they are often just straight fakes of Potosi/Lima pieces, with varying degrees of accuracy... To confuse the issue, Indian fakes of Honduras post-colonial cobs apparently also exist. A fake of an "imitation"!