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 Replies: 14 / Views: 2,754 |
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Valued Member
477 Posts |
A new Edition to my collection... I can't wait to get it. I fell in love with it even with the damage to the obverse from years at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico because it is an early date for El Cazador coins not the usual 1783. I purchased it from South Florida Coins collectibles on ebay. (I only mention this because the photos are from the auction and show their attribution.)     |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1316 Posts |
Very cool! I love the heavy shipwreck affect on the front and the relatively untouched reverse (except for the top right edge! Great selection!
I have a few of these for my 82's collection, I keep holding out a dream a 4R exists and I can have a full set of denominations for 1782 off the shipwreck.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1326 Posts |
Quote:
I keep holding out a dream a 4R exists 4Rs tend to be more rare, in general, correct? |
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Valued Member
 477 Posts |
Hi Otto,
I have, in general, not noticed that 4 reales coins are that much less available that 8 reales coins. As for the coins on El Cazador, The majority by a long shot were 1783 Charles III 8 Reales. El Cazador, as I have read carried about 450,000 8 reales coins and about an equal amount of other denominations, This would have included 1/2 reales, 2 reales, and 4 reales and a VAST majority of the coins on board were newly minted 1783s from the mexico city mint. There were a few like mine above of different dates. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe 1777 was the earliest date of coins thus far dated.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1326 Posts |
Well, congrats on your purchase. It should hold its value. BTW, someone had an uncertified shipwreck coin on e-bay that I thought was especially cool. The coin was imbedded in what looked like coral. Definitely a conversation piece.
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Valued Member
477 Posts |
Thank you! I've seen several coin clumps on ebay. Coins that are cemented together by coral etc after years of laying on the sea floor. I would love to own a nice example but they tend to be just out of my price range. Blair |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1316 Posts |
Quote:
4Rs tend to be more rare, in general, correct? At least for the years I collect, 4R are the scarcest of the denominations. 2R and 8R are rather readily available. 1/2 and 1 aren't exactly scarce. But 4R only pop up once or twice a year if that, with the most recent all being from Bolovia. For the Mexico mint, the 4R is the only denomination I need for the set, and I couldn't even say the last time I saw one available anywhere. Krause doesn't value them as being super rare, but experience tells me they are scarce at best. 4R off the El Cazador for any year are by far the scarcest denomination, it isn't even close, and they tend to easily fetch $250-$300 for even well "shipwrecked" conditions when they do come up. I've asked ebay seller caz-10, one of the highest volume sellers of El Cazador coins, if they had seen an 1782, and they hadn't. Edited by Collects82
02/18/2017 10:18 pm
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Valued Member
477 Posts |
Caz-10 actually has a El Cazador 4 reales coin for sale right now but it's 1783...
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1316 Posts |
With bids from 5 bidders and it still has 4 1/2 days to go. Other denominations, especially from 1783, would not usually see this kind of activity early on.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1757 Posts |
What some people may not realize is that these coins when they start to degrade what metal loss is coming off the alloy. Basically JUST copper - when you analyze some of these El Cazador coins some have silver purity approaching or even at 99% !.
Verified in the laboratory.
I am not a big fan of shipwreck coins as I prefer crude coins more like contemporary circulating counterfeits, Revolution and/or War of Independence counter-stamp or re-strike issues. I guess one coin can't hurt of pure sterling silver (99.999%). LOL.
John Lorenzo
United States
JPL
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Valued Member
477 Posts |
Thank you colonialjohn! I got the coin today.   |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5362 Posts |
Interesting that the date nearly disappears depending on the type of illumination and the angle of the light.
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Valued Member
477 Posts |
The date is not visible to my old eyes when looking at the coin in hand. I'm trusting that NGC was correct. Thanks! Blair.
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Rest in Peace
United States
18456 Posts |
Blair , my wife has been interested in these El Cazador coins too . In the last past year I think she now has all the reales , and at least 2 different dates . all are slabbed by NGC .  |
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Valued Member
477 Posts |
These coins have major historical value above and beyond the value of the reales themselves. If you think about it like mintage there are not a huge amount of them available (El Cazador carried only about 450,000 8 reale coins if I'm not mistaken and about the same number of other denominations). If there were only about 450,000 of a given year of Morgans... could you get that Morgan for the price you can get an El Cazador 8 reales? I will be following in your wife's footsteps and grabbing as many of these as I can...  |
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Replies: 14 / Views: 2,754 |
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Posted 02/18/2017 12:56 pm
