1776 8 Reales Sold On Ebay For $2550.00

What mint is that? I don't collect to many of these and I don't think I've seen that mintmark before.

I thought the 1776 Santiago was only known as an overdate (1776/5). This one does not look like an overdate. The coin also looks wrong to me, really wrong. The obverse has good detail, shoulder clasp, hair detail, armor detail all looks sharp. The reverse looks worn and and flat like a bad transfer image. Why the different degrees of wear between obverse and reverse. I also don't like the way the edge looks, no wear at all and way too thick of an outline on the circles. I haven't had a chance to see many Santiago 8's but this one raises the hair on the back of my neck and not in a good way. SwamperBob, have you ever seen an edge detail like this one with the outline of the circles so thick?

First off, I'm hesitant to believe this thing legitimately went for that money, and that's a very odd bidding pattern near the top... methinks a vigilante may have been messing with with things here (not I, as I am not that bold, and certainly don't care enough about protecting someone who would want to flush clearly undeserved disposable income/savings on something like this).

Aside from that... I'm surprised that anyone would even entertain the notion for a millisecond that this turd has even smelled a real coin in its life, let alone IS one. Forget even looking at the metal disc, common sense ALONE here... Would anyone who has ever even set eyes upon a genuine Santiago Charles III 8R in this condition (which of COURSE happens to be the desirable magical key superdate of 1776, if we're gonna stick with the pandering to bidiots theme here) describe such a scarcity in this fashion?:

"EXTRA FINE CONDITION _RARE
I BOUGHT THIS ITEM OVER 30 YEARS AGO
THE COINS EDGE SHOWS ORIGINAL DETAIL THAT COPIES LACK
...
COMES IN PLASTIC CASE"

Plastic case? WOW, super, thanks! I was worried you were just gonna drop it in an envelope and lick a *^&%*in stamp... Edge detail that copies lack? What, doesn't say Made in China around the edge? Oh, and you bought it 30 years ago, huh? CERTAINLY not two years ago from China around early 2010, where the seller (36 FB, from China, and NARUed!) thanked him for his purchase of SPAIN/CHILE 1776 8R SILVER COIN VF! (#170413107634) with "very good!great buyer!Thank you!".

Clearly, the current seller bought that piece just to marvel at the originality of his OWN piece via comparison...

Now, regarding the "coin" itself:




I think this hits on major points... Let's leave the overdate aside - this is so rare, it would take advanced knowledge to be certain on that. The bust itself does look pretty good... though the bust I've seen on Santiago pieces around that year are a bit different in style (leave it at that). Significant flatness in certain areas (also look at the obv legend), all sorts of weirdness around the rims, and while Santiago's circles/rectangle design is something along those lines, it's off in terms of execution and apparent level of preservation. That's all that needs to be said to the captive audience...

There is no "maybe" - it's fake.

I am posting the pictures of the coin because ebay listings disappear.

Fake.