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 Replies: 16 / Views: 2,939 |
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New Member
United Kingdom
6 Posts |
Hi, Totally new to this so bear with me here. I recently acquired the attached coin:   I've just spent the last couple of hours researching it and it appears to resemble a Felipe II 8 Reales, 16th century. I'm now trying to ascertain if a) I'm correct and b) Is it genuine? Let me know if you need any other information from me! As I said, I'm totally new to this so may have missed some important details. Edit: Diameter is 25mm - to 27mm depending on where you measure it. And here's a side view  Unfortunately no access to scales right now, I'm still in Peru living out of a back pack! Edited by ooccooccoo
01/28/2020 8:26 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
5241 Posts |
How about giving us the weight, the diameter, and a picture of the edge?
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New Member
 United Kingdom
6 Posts |
Hi,
I just added the diameter to my original post.
I don't have any scales to hand but can weigh it in a week or so when I get home.
Just taking a photo of the edge now bear with me...
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
7943 Posts |
 Well, if you're living out of a backpack in Peru, I've got a certain amount of admiration ... My son hiked some a couple of years ago, but I prefer more oxygen when I'm walking. We see a lot of obvious fakes of Spanish colonials here, and I am NOT one of the experts, but it looks pretty good to me compared to the obvious fakes. AT that size, maybe not an 8 reales, but something smaller lik e 2 reales Philip II? |
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New Member
United Kingdom
6 Posts |
OK I think you're bang on the money (pun intended, I wonder how many times that's been said on here!) with the 2 reales! https://www.google.com/imgres?imgur...t=mrc&uact=8This comes up when you google "Felipe II 2 reales" It has what looks to me like "PB" on the left, I'd noticed that that wasn't on the 8 reales. Good to know it doesn't look like an instant fake, there is hope yet ha. |
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New Member
United Kingdom
6 Posts |
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New Member
United Kingdom
6 Posts |
Edited by ooccooccoo
01/28/2020 10:41 pm
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Valued Member
231 Posts |
Knows nothing about it has tool hole front
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Moderator
 United States
188747 Posts |
to the Community! |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7943 Posts |
Your second Numista link is a different type. Several types were issued during this long reign.
And yes, the hole is very bad for the value, typically knocking 50% or more off the value of an unholed example of the same coin in comparable condition.
At this point, wait for one of the experts on Spanish colonial coins to weight in on the authenticity.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1962 Posts |
Well, it's kind of Peru (Alto Peru at that time)... but in fact this is POTOSI mint, modern-day Bolivia.
And as was noted, yes, a 2R, not an 8R.
Looks genuine enough from a distance - typical mushy ex-jewelry surface.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3343 Posts |
Dug out the Sedwick book, and this looks like Assayer B (Juan Ballesteros Narvaez) ca 1580-1590. Cobs from that period often are rounded like yours, and lots of them have holes. If I were the buyer, it's worth $25-50, but I'm a cheapskate.
"Two minutes ago I would have sold my chances for a tired dime." Fred Astaire
Edited by thq
01/29/2020 7:18 pm
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New Member
United Kingdom
6 Posts |
50% less seems extreme for such a small hole! Ah well :)
What is the hole for anyway, I was envisioning lots of these being on a string to make a bundle of say 100, but realeswatcher said might have been worn as jewellery, that might explain the hole?
Cards on the table, I paid about 40 USD for it. It was in a box of random coins in a shop and I noticed it looked totally different. The woman said it was made from silver and 1800s. I quickly had a google and found out about "macquinas" and seemed to be way older so thought I'd buy it to learn more. Shame it doesn't appear to be worth as much as I thought but definitely seems to be worth what I paid for it. And owning and researching something so old is really interesting!
Not sure if this is the beginning of my collecting coins but it's been a fun experience figuring out what this is. I'd definitely know another coin of this type if I saw it now too.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3343 Posts |
Having played the Pirate King once these coins interest me. Arrrrr.
I've given them away as gifts to relative's kids. They're great puzzles for them to solve. And they're real old money for them to put in a treasure box.
I keep the better stuff. Cromwell Commonwealth, Charles I, any old French coins.
"Two minutes ago I would have sold my chances for a tired dime." Fred Astaire
Edited by thq
01/30/2020 6:34 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7943 Posts |
Quote:
Not sure if this is the beginning of my collecting coins @ooccoo, let's hope so! Sometime this is how it starts. I had collected as a kid, and some experiences like this in early adulthood kept the flame alive until later in life, when it re-ignited in a big way. THAT IS A VERY COOL COIN, ALONG WITH A COOL STORY! Not sure where your travels will take you next, but keep an eye out for coins. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1962 Posts |
$40... You got what you paid for. Here's how Bolivia rolled:  |
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Replies: 16 / Views: 2,939 |
Posted 01/28/2020 8:19 pm
