8R 1884 Pi Possible Overstrike?

First of all, from what I see your coin is real. It is considered by Dunigan to be a "Normal Date".

There are several cataloged major Varieties of the 1884 Pi 8 Reales, but yours is not one of them. The catalogued varieties include a 4/3 overdate, an H over M overassayer and a variety without the s superscripts. All others are cataloged as "Normal".

However, your coin clearly has a repunched 8 and a repunched M. In both cases, the die sinker who was finishing the die by adding the date and assayer MISPLACED the digit initially. After a light strike, the punch was repositioned and fully set. The result in rather clear. In 1884 San Luis Potosi was still using older technologies to make dies. As a result the individual letters were added to the die one at a time. Misplaced punches were inevitable.

Overdates like yours - an 8 punched over a misplaced 8 and the M over M are rarely cataloged except by individual collectors and the result is haphazard. They are considered to be sub-varieties. Most collectors who specialize in 8Rs have located several of this type and bidding can be stiff for some of them. Your coin is certainly worth more to a specialist than a date and assayer that is single punched. I doubt however, that it will ever be given a full variety listing.

The best catalog published to date covering the 8Rs ("Resplandores" by Dunigan and Parker) does NOT attempt to list repunched dates or repunched letters. They intentionally catalogued only instances where two different numerals or letters were involved. They did it in part for brevity. They have OVER 1200 major varieties and over 200 listed subvarieties (the subvarieties are published without photos.)

Double and triple hubbed dies are NOT listed as varieties. Repaired dies and reworked dies are also not listed even though the modifications can be spectacular. Clashes are sometimes mentioned but they are also not cataloged.

The 8R series is so complex that I wonder if all the sub-varieties will ever be collected in one place. I have been advised by several old time experts that a complete die by die list (like Overton did for Bust Halves or Van Allen and Mallis did for Dollars) is IMPOSSIBLE even for ONE mint. There are simply too many dies and for many years EACH DIE IS different.

The Dragon's Teeth first appeared in San Luis Potosi in mid 1887 when the mint converted to dies made at Mexico City. The dies actually made in the Potosi die shop were never made with the teeth. The variety made in 1887 using the earlier die style with no teeth is Scarcer than the type with the teeth.

Last I knew "Resplandores" was still available from Mike Dunigan in Fort Worth. But his price is $125.

Regarding the price - IT IS WORTH IT. You can find rare varieties by using that book that otherwise you will miss. I know that I would not be without one. If you buy a couple counterfeits - you can also pay for the book quickly.

Yes, I believe the 1873-1887 stamp for the San Luis Potosi Mint had the tounge sticking out of the snake's head. Hopefully swamperbob will come around to confirm this.

Thanks swamperbob!!
I really appreciate it.
Regards.