New Purchase: 8 Reales From Zs And MO

patrick - No problems here with this group.

Study these closely and you will see the evolution of technology at Zacatecas - they span several different eras.

Thanks for all the responses. I did quite a bit of research before purchasing this lot. I went through Riddell but the only copy I have is a google ebook so the images aren't great. And there's a lot to know about the Zs coins and their forgeries. I've also gone through the older posts on CCF to learn more about how these were minted and to see all the great coins that you all have posted over the years. I will need to go back through those again once the coins arrive so I can have the information and the coins in had. I only have one 8 real in my collection now - a newer issue from Mo - so the additional material will be very helpful.

I'll get a good photo of the 1833 Zs up as soon as I can. I don't have access to copies of the more recent reference books (they're hard to find and a bit pricey) but I'm hoping to pick them up asap. It would be great to get some more information on the markers indicating a debased or other coin.

Thanks again guys - I really appreciate your expertise.

Understand that aside from the nicer 1833.... concerning the later buffed/worn authentic pieces as compared to those (2) contemp. forgeries in the other lot, there isn't really any difference in value. Also, regarding the point about holes indicating a marked forgery... obviously also be aware of test cuts on the edges, large "X" scratches across the face and similar... same idea.




Remember, you're talking about a book from 1845... with actual images! I don't think you'll get much more accurate than what Google Books is showing. A tip - if the photo doesn't show well, do a "Print Screen" screenshot of the pic, paste into Paint, and "Invert Colors"... looking at the "negative" can bring out detail sometimes. At any rate, even in Google Books, it's sufficient to use for comparison of design element positioning and such, which should help you readily recognize some more common Riddell types (like the Durango pieces of 1832 and 1834 - I think that's #365 and #371 - frequently encountered).

On top of that, you should pick up a few cheap contemporary counterfeits if only for study purposes, so you know what the surfaces of various fakes can look like, how the different alloys tone, how they feel and "ring"... how they smell? The comparison can only help you better understand and recognize genuine pieces...

BTW, that 1881 centavos piece is just damaged, it appears.





On the main World Forum page, in "Search This Forum Only" (a good new tool, saves time), search things like "Zacatecas", "zacatecas debased", "debased reales"...

Yeah, for the most part, your average worn/slightly defaced "common" type contemp. ctfeit seems to go in the $25-40 range, which is right where low-end genuine Cap & Ray trade.