| Author |
 Replies: 22 / Views: 5,407 |
|
Pillar of the Community
Canada
2805 Posts |
Finally, I own a reale-denominated coin! This is also my first coin that's really shoddily made. I feel like I'm in the big leagues now. Cost me $4    So, does anyone have some information on this series? Why is it so ugly? |
|
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
865 Posts |
I have no idea on anything about this coin but there are alot of things that would throw up red flags for myself. the overall pourous look of the coin, the extra metal on the rim of the coin and the glob of metal on the S in PROVISIONAL. It looks like a cast copy to me. But like I said, I am no expert when it comes to this coin. Hopefully someone more knowledgable will come along soon.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
 Canada
2805 Posts |
Apparently all examples of this type look somewhat crappy, but I guess it could be a cast fake. Still, that would be interesting and at $4 I don't have that much money invested in it.
|
|
Moderator
 Australia
16837 Posts |
When the Central American Republic imploded and each of the states went their separate ways, the coinage issued by each state at first tended to resemble the old CAR coinage. Honduras seceded in 1839 but continued to issue "state" coinage until 1861. The sunset-over-mountains obverse and tree reverse are both taken straight from CAR coinage.
The main mints of the CAR were San Jose, Costa Rica and Nueva Guatemala, in Guatemala. A small issue of 1 real and 2 real coins were struck from the Tegucigalpa mint in Honduras. All these coins were made of "Spanish standard" silver (.903 fine). But the coinage of post-secession Honduras was much lower quality: beginning at .333 fine, it fell to .040 fine; "silver" coinage this debased had not been seen since Roman times and, as far as I can tell, has not been seen elsewhere since.
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
|
|
Pillar of the Community
Canada
2805 Posts |
Thank you for the information on the C.A.R.!
The high points of this coin look like exposed copper underneath a thin silver wash. I am starting to think it's a contemporary counterfeit as well. But I don't feel bad about buying it, that makes it more historical and exciting!
|
|
Pillar of the Community
Canada
2805 Posts |
What I was really hoping for was someone who knew what they were talking about to come and give their opinion on it, I'm lost when it comes to reales :(
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1757 Posts |
Don't know much on Honduras but in my opinion the current leading authority or upcoming world authority is Carlos Jara. Go the Mexican Coin Company site. Send them an image of this piece via E-Mail. From my experience WUNDERKIDS show up once every ten years - the last two in my neck of the woods was Vicken Yegparian and John Kraljevick both of Stacks/Bowers. I met Carlos once recently at the NYITL 2014 show.
John Lorenzo
United States
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
510 Posts |
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
865 Posts |
Davidrj, I just came here to post that link. Lol. I was actually interested in this coin and have been trying to find something about it, and came up with very minimal info. I was at my LCS today and they had an 1855 4 reales that I picked up. Now I am even more intrigued by this coin. Nalaberong, you were absolutely correct about them being an ugly minted coin. Sorry for my doubt before.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
510 Posts |
That link is to my own posting there, coincidentally just 2 days ago,  see also https://goccf.com/t/161055I too am fascinated by these, but can't find any reference other than the Krause listings I've posted in several coin forums, but no bites!  David |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1962 Posts |
God Bless on this Ash Wednesday... Your first "reale" (ahem) and you stumble on this! I really, really, really have to find the kind of shops that some posters on here seem to stumble on for "foreign" coins. Honduras 1840s (ANY type, regal or counterfeit) for FOUR bucks... geez. This piece seems even cruder than usual for 1840s Honduras, but it shares the same die cracking with this piece: http://coins.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleN...&lotNo=25999The Dana Roberts sales have a good number of examples of these years... Most of the years around this are not QUITE this crude, but another 1847 in a Roberts lot is very similar to this. Leaning on the side of genuine... just maybe environmental effects present here mimicking some extra "crudeness". Good catch. |
|
New Member
United States
38 Posts |
Best reference for these is Castillo Flores: Historia de la Moneda en Honduras. Hard to find and in Spanish, with a few mistakes but still worth it.
I did a small presentation on Barre's designs for Honduras in Tegucigalpa a few months back, where these issues were mentioned as background. It's in Spanish but if someone is interested, send me a message and I can forward it.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
865 Posts |
Here is the 1855 4 Reales I picked up the other day.   |
|
Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2882 Posts |
Quote:
But the coinage of post-secession Honduras was much lower quality: beginning at .333 fine, it fell to .040 fine; "silver" coinage this debased had not been seen since Roman times and, as far as I can tell, has not been seen elsewhere since.
I believe the "bull and horseman" jitals from medieval Afghanistan/Pakistan (circa 750-1300) type area also degraded from a nearly pure silver coin to only trace silver over the life of the type. |
|
Valued Member
United States
87 Posts |
Edited by Jay Kristofferson
02/05/2016 6:57 pm
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
865 Posts |
Jay, that's a very nice set you've got there. Thanks for sharing. I still have yet to come across any more provisional honduras coins since the one I posted 2 years ago.
|
| |
Replies: 22 / Views: 5,407 |
Posted 03/01/2014 11:45 pm
