Interesting 8 Reales Token

Archraz you are correct about the auction. I have seen one other on ebay. I was the underbidder in that auction. I will try to post some pics of the edge in the next couple of days.

I had missed this thread which is why I did not comment.

I am aware of the coin - it always sells well and I have tried on several occasions but it invariably sells for more than I have at the time.

I believe you are correct likely about the Gorham connection. The timing is perfect for the earliest documents I have about the manufacture of 8Rs in the US by private mints. I have several letters from the 1890-1894 time frame proving Mexican coins were manufactured in New England.

If you recall in 1896 there was a movement to coin silver as a legal tender coin - it was promoted by William Jennings Bryant the Democratic candidate for President who believed the token silver coins made by the US government defrauded the average worker because they contained 30-40 cents worth of silver not $1.00. Gold coins were the coins of the rich while silver coins were the money of the common man.

The US moved to the gold standard in 1873 when the mint act was passed. A great book on that topic is "The Crime of 1873". Silver coins produced after 1873 were TOKENS that did not contain a full dollar's worth of silver.

There are Bryant Dollars made by Gorham Co using silver that show visually the difference between the token dollar and the intrinsic dollar. Other Bryant coins were made in pewter and lead. They represent quite a series.

Gorham would have been a natural choice for the manufacture of Mexican 8Rs under contract.