Mexican Coin

It is an 8 real Mexican coin. I think minted in Spain. Not exactly sure. Some one else will correct me if incorrect. The KM#377. The value of this coin in VF $15, EF $20 or UNC $75. I am not good at grading from Photo's, but my guess would be in the upper VF to XF area. Hope this helps? You are in the same situation I was in earlier this year. My father passed two years ago and just this year I received his coin collection. Many coins mislabled from spain, mexico, asia. So if you need direst help feel free to pm me.

Hello mrwisker - The coin design is that of a Mexican 8 Real struck at the Zacatecas mint in the area north of Mexico City. These particular coins were never struck in Spain. The dies were in all probability made from die hubs created in Mexico City. The date 1884 is one of the Late Republican issues minted just prior to the introduction of Standardized Hubs in 1886. Mexico had switched to the Peso system from the 8 Real system a few years earlier, but the Peso coins were not accepted overseas and the production of the older 8Rs was resumed for export purposes.

Zacatecas was throughout it's life a high production branch mint. It operated near the famous silver mines in the mountains near the City of Zacatecas. Average annual production of 8Rs ran in the area of 2,500,000 coins in the 1880s. It is still a common coin today and appears in quantity in grades up to MS. There are no known significant varieties of the 1884 Zs.

That said 1884 is also the second most often forged date in the history of the Mexicamn 8Rs in general. Without seeing the edge and knowing the weight of the coin it is difficult to be 100% certain about authenticity, but I believe this one is real.

Based on the state of preservation, which I would place in the VF-EF range, the coin should weigh 26.9 grams at the least and 27.1 grams at the most. Outside that range I would look for reasons explaining the deviation. Outside that range I would also check the specific gravity of the coin.

The dies used to strike this coin are VERY well worn and cracked. They are near terminal state and the surfaces appear to show raised lapping lines from rough resurfacing. When dies come together without a blank in between them a "CLASH" occurs. The impact of the hardened dies will often cause transfers of details from one die to the other. Clashes also are responsible for may of the die cracks.

The later Zs dies were plagued with die cracks and poor surfaces caused by rough lapping. After a clash in which die to die image transfer took place, it was normal for the dies to be taken out of service for resurfacing. Depending upon the location and depth of the clashed image - mint workers can grind or file off a layer of the die face to remove traces of the clash. In the process small grinding lines are made on the die face. Sometimes, when workers rushed, they did not properly polish the die to remove all of the scratches. A scratch in the die face results in a raised line segment on the coin. That is how you distinguish a die laine (straw lines) from post strike damage.

I see no reason at this point based on what we now know that this coin is anything but real.

mrwisker The pictures are better and support my earlier opinion completely. The edge design is correct for the date. That is the "nearly" standard edge design I would expect to see on an 1884 Zs coin. I see nothing yet that makes me suspect the coin is not real.

Since the collection you inherited was assembled by chance, by a non-collector, you are more likely than not to have counterfeits ixed in especially in the foreign section. Soldiers during WWII and thereafter have been ready made targets for forgers. Passing "souvenir" copies of silver coins (especially dollar sized coins) was and IS common. So be cautious and post pictures of your foreign coins for identification and comment.

I got it weighed today. right about 27g
I went to the local coin shop today. When I asked him to weigh it, He merely stated I don't know why you would want to.
When I told him it was to make a final decision on whether it was real or fake.
He didn't seem to think that this particular coin warranted anybody counterfeiting it, beings that it was relatively worthless.
Given the attitude (and the inflated prices) I received I highly doubt I will return

You are correct...the ones who are not greedy are to ones that don't get caught.
This does remind me about a guy I worked with last year.
When He was in high school, He sent some bills through the color copier. The teacher reported the incident.
The Feds came in and informed him that if he had made them "full size" he would have been in more trouble than he was.
The feds then (according to him) educated him on the ways and means of counterfeiting currency.
The theory being, that having been educated in the process, he is now and always will be on a list of prime suspects should any counterfeits surface in our area.