Pretty sure I just found an 8 Reale coin, need help identifying

[TheHappyCanadian]

If this is truly what I think it is then it's my oldest find to date...



Just wondering how a 300 year-old coin ended up in a park in an area settled in the early 1800s

 

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[smokeythecat]

First how does it end up there? Someone of course carried it there. I found a 1300 year old Byzantine coin in South Carolina once. The plantation owner apparently collected coins. A few Roman coins were found also. Easy test for silver- drop it a few inches above a wooden table. If it rings, it's probably silver. Lead or pewter will go thud.

Doesn't look Spanish. I'd look up 17th century silver coins in a search engine and see if you can find something close.

 

[Mackaydon]

I can't validate it's authentic but it does resemble an 8R 'Pillars and Waves' cob.
The '8' is visible at the 4/5 o'clock position to the 'pillar' on the left.
Based on its condition, it should weigh about 25 grams; normally ~27+ grams.
Don.......

 

[TheHappyCanadian]

I can't validate it's authentic but it does resemble an 8R 'Pillars and Waves' cob.
The '8' is visible at the 4/5 o'clock position to the 'pillar' on the left.
Based on its condition, it should weigh about 25 grams; normally ~27+ grams.
Don.......

That's odd... my scale shows it's only 16.5 grams

 

[TheHappyCanadian]

First how does it end up there? Someone of course carried it there. I found a 1300 year old Byzantine coin in South Carolina once. The plantation owner apparently collected coins. A few Roman coins were found also. Easy test for silver- drop it a few inches above a wooden table. If it rings, it's probably silver. Lead or pewter will go thud.

Doesn't look Spanish. I'd look up 17th century silver coins in a search engine and see if you can find something close.

definitely silver, I love how you can find random things especially when there's a story behind them

 

[Mackaydon]

THC,
At that weight, you can rule out a lesser value. it would have to weigh no more than about 13.5 grams to be a 4R.
IMO, that weight of 16.5g would indicate any of the following:
1. It has been clipped excessively--though it does not appear so or
2. It isn't authentic or
3. Both 1. and 2.
Don.....

 

[TheHappyCanadian]

Bit of a stretch, but what about the heart variant?

 

[Mackaydon]

Cobs came in all shapes; and yes, some were purposefully cut into heart shape--but not this one-IMO
Don.......

 

[GreenMtnDigger]

Maybe it's just the lighting of the photos but looks like pewter to me. Looks like the edges have been chipping away. I've found several counterfeit pewter coins. If it is silver great find and hope you can ID it.

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[TheHappyCanadian]

thanks Don, makes me all the more eager to get back out there and find the real thing!

 

[PhipsFolly]

Can't speak to its authenticity, but it definately has the attributes of a Potosi cob on the obverse side...
Part of the mint name "Potosi" is visible along with some of the pillars and waves... On the reverse side of the coin, the cross and part of the lions and castles are present.

 

[PhipsFolly]

As stated by others... The denomination "8" is clearly visible but the weight is not correct so going with counterfeit personally...

 

[PhipsFolly]

Also, definately find out what the metal composition of the coin is as I have a period made counterfeit (1600's) that came from Port Royal, Jamaica and it was copper with PLATINUM plating! Bob Marx also recovered a few counterfeit cobs from Port Royal that were made the same way. Just a thought...

 

[penzfan]

Interesting thread. Question: Where would someone get items such as these, as well as spanish quatros, scale armor etc appraised? Thanks

 

[Mackaydon]

penzfan,
I'd go to Heritage Auctions:
Appraisal Services - Heritage Auctions
Don (USAF '63-'69)

 

[penzfan]

Thanks Don...

 

[Dirt_Hunter]

Looks to me like you found an old Spanish coin. Congrats on your find!

 

[realeswatcher]

This is an interesting piece... FYI, without any doubt, it wants to be a Potosi 8R, late 1600s to ca. 1700-ish.

One thing regarding weight, many land/water recoveries that have been clearly eaten at by the elements can and do lose WAY more than just 2 grams out of ~27 grams total, so you can't always automatically say for such pieces "It's under X weight, probably fake".

That said, I wouldn't expect THIS piece, if indeed regal, to have lost that much mass. There clearly is some significant loss from the lower middle portion of the pillars side, but most of the rest of the coin is suffering more from intact encrustation than huge pores. Of course, cleaning/removing the crud would take a lot of oxidized metal, currently tied up in said crust, off the coin)... Anywho, from the pics, I would guess the piece to be 20-22 grams in the state it's in - perhaps in hand the corrosion might be be apparent?

In terms of the coin's detail, the pillars side looks "OK"... the cross side, even trying to decipher it through the doubling, which of course is a fairly common feature on late 1600s/early 1700s Potosi... has an odd look. Also, note that those few rubbed bare spots on the pillars side almost look a bit brassy/coppery... though that could be an illusion.

Curious coin. I'm inclined to believe it is indeed a contemporary counterfeit (contemporary referring to of THAT time, not modern).

Also, definately find out what the metal composition of the coin is as I have a period made counterfeit (1600's) that came from Port Royal, Jamaica and it was copper with PLATINUM plating! Bob Marx also recovered a few counterfeit cobs from Port Royal that were made the same way. Just a thought...

Would LOVE to see a pic of that... Do you happen to know how it was determined to be platinum on the surface - acid test, guessing, or...? (I would think they weren't using XRF or similar at the time).

 

[Tradertom]

Great find. Great thread. Interesting to see the outcome.