✅ SOLVED Strange Colonial Coin- ID Help

[Patriot Relics]

Hey guys,

Found this coin at an friends old plantation property in Charleston dating from the late 1700s. The coin is badly corroded but measures 20mm in length and I believe to be copper. There are raised letters around the edge on both sides but hard to make out. The back appears to have a crest and a large I. Anyone have any ideas?

 

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[RelicHunter97]

Looks like a counterfeit of a Spanish silver. I'm not sure what the denomination would be off the top of my head. Perhaps 2 reales?

 

[FreeBirdTim]

It does look a lot like a Spanish silver from the 1771-1825 period. The one real coin is 20mm, so it could be a counterfeit one real. Here's an authentic one real from that era:

 

[coachbedford]

I also believe counterfeit spanish colonial silver coin....looks too small to be a 2 reale so I am thinking one reale denomination. Now I know on this forum there has been debate as to whether there are really 1700s counterfeit spanish COB coins out there, but the spanish colonial coins (bust on one side, crowned shield and pillars on other) definitely WERE counterfeited in brass-- maybe late 1700s to mid 1800s. It's debated as to where these brass spanish colonial reales were counterfeited-- one theory is Canada. But, the most common brass counterfeits of spanish colonial silver coins are the 2 reales denomination (a little bigger than a US quarter). Brass counterfeits of one reales or half reales are much scarcer. So basically, a VERY cool find.

 

[Patriot Relics]

Thanks for the feedback guys- any advice on how to carefully clean it? I know your not suppose to clean coins but is there any way to enhance the image without damaging it? Also, I've air tested it with the Safari and its pinging in the low silver/ high copper range... thinking it may actually be silver.

 

[Inspector]

I have no opinion but nice find either way. HH

 

[coachbedford]

oops-- thought of another possibility. Origiinally I just assumed the "front" of the coin (middle pic) showed the shadow of the Spanish king's head. At second look, I'm thinking this side may actually be smooth? If so, that may not be wear, but rather because this piece is one-sided (just the shield and pillars side), thus........... meaning there is an excellent chance that this is a Spanish Colonial BUTTON c. late 1700's to early 1800's. Unless you do see a bust of the king on one side??

 

[Patriot Relics]

Pretty confident it's a coin coachbedford- there is lettering and a faint bust on the front. We're these coins only counterfeit in brass or bullion as well?

 

[coachbedford]

Well if you see some stuff on both sides, then counterfeit coin is more likely. These may have been counterfeited in silver or copper-silver mixture (though I have never come across one). Counterfeits were much more common in brass (though not common overall-- they are much scarcer than contemporary counterfeits of British halfpennies of the 1700s).