What To Show And Tell About Your 8 Reales To Get Useful Opinions

As swamperbob says, you need to know how the genuine coin was made in order to spot the differences in the manufacturing of a counterfeit. Milled Spanish colonial 8 reales (and probably other denominations, however I only study the crown size), were edged using a parallel die machine like a Castaing machine. The planchet is rolled 180 degrees through the device with each die imparting the design on half of the edge. In practice, the coin is run through a little extra to avoid leaving a gap, resulting in a slight overlap. Following this procedure the planchet is struck in an open collar screw press.

If you see evidence that a coin was produced in any other fashion it is an indicator of a counterfeit. For instance, a common variety of counterfeit will show that the coin was edged after being struck with a single die edging process leaving only one overlap of the edge design.

Exactly, and that's why the suggestion for photographing the edges should include an angle that shows some of the surface so the position of the overlaps can be checked.

1808 was the transition year between Carlos IV and Fernando VII, two bust types exist. Do you mean this?

I understand what you mean,
In 1811 were sent from Spain the new dies with the actual bust of Fernando VII.

Apparently, the new dies arrived to Potosí in 1812-13 but the coins minted began with the stamped date 1808, following the law. In others mints had used imaginary busts of Fernando VII.

Hi

Dies with that portrait of Fernando VII, designed by Felix Sagau between Seville and Cádiz, where he ran away from intruder government by Jose I Bontaparte, did not get to Potosi Mint until December 1813. All 1808 and 1809 coins with laureate bust were minted in 1814. From 1810 to 1813 it is assumed that coins were struck with the bust of Carlos IV and date 1808.

Regards

I think it was likely minted in the first months of 1813, together with other Fernando VII coins from Potosí dated 1808 and 1809.
I also think it´s genuine and absolutely beautiful, congratulations! I hope you still have it .


Exactly. The transition took place on March 19th. Although briefly, both kings ruled in Spain that year, before being confronted with the impending Napoleonic invasion.


I am not contesting or trying to refute this statement since I am not an expert, nor an historian.
However, the source material I have claims something slightly different:

The CAROLUS IV coins dated 1808 were minted in Potosí every year from 1808 to 1812 (1) and FERDIN VII coins dated 1808 and 1809 were minted during the first part of 1813. Even after the royalists retreated from the city on March 1st, taking with them valuables and mint officers, the Potosí mint resumed coinage production likely with the dies of Fernando VII dated 1808 and 1809.
The first accounting of this batch was documented on March 31st. On the other hand, royal coinage dated 1813 is believed to have been struck much later by the end of the year, after the royalists recaptured the city on November 20th (2).
(In between these two, from June 22nd to November 18th, the first series of the revolutionary "PROVINCIAS UNIDAS" coinage from 1813 was minted).

(1) JANSON, Hector: "La moneda circulante en territorio argentino" (Circulating coinage in the argentine territory)
(2) PEZZANO, Luciano: "Las primeras monedas patrias y el origen del escudo nacional" (The first patriotic coins and the origin of the national coat of arms)

A little curious fact from history: When the revolutionary forces decided to retreat from Potosí in 1813, the building of the mint was ordered to be blown to pieces before it could be recaptured. Explosives were set... and after the army left, this order was ultimately disobeyed by an officer who decided to put off the fuse in the last minute, saving this magnificent building so full of history which can be visited today.


A simple translation for this sentence would be:
"1811, April 7th. With written public document dated today, the dies for the 8 Reales and 2 Reales coins are being sent to the Popayan, Potosi, Lima and Santiago mints."