Mexico 8 Reals MO 1898

The Strong Peso is the last in the series of "Standard" dollar coins produced in Mexico. It is technically not an 8 Reale - it is a Peso - similar to the Balance Scale decimal issues of the 1870s. It was produced for use domestically as well as for the overseas market.

These coins were produced on a modern coining press equipped with a reeded collar. They were produced in a single coining strike not in two steps like the 8R coins made in an open sided screw press. The dies were all produced from master hubs so variation was eliminated on the various working dies. The dies were subjected to higher stresses so there are often numerous die cracks on these coins. This happens even on fairly new dies with insignificant wear. A circular die crack running along the letters is fairly typical and was the result of the high pressure near the collar. Your coin has such a crack joining the tops of the letters UN PESO.

The 1898 Mo was also restruck in 1949 with an added production of 10,250,000 coins - the originals have 139 beads on the reverse and the restrike has 134 beads on the border. They are otherwise identical in design. Your coin is a restrike made in 1949.

Hello Epop,

I also have a 1898 Mo Restrike and I actually heard or read somewhere that a portion of these were minted in San Francisco.

Also I believe the o in Mo on the restrike is raised higher than on the original which is another way to tell if your looking at a restrike.

I wrote an article on the 1949 Mexico Restrikes in 2006 and put it on my website (below).

Some were made in Mexico City and 2,000,000 were made in San Francisco.

I found the above referenced The Numismatist article.
It is in the July 2010 issue and is entitled
"Striking Pieces Of Eight At The San Francisco Mint" by Gerard Muhl.

It can be found at:
http://digital.ipcprintservices.com...hp?id=424354

The article is mostly a history of Mexican coins used in America and
the attempt to set up a Mexican mint in San Francisco.
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Check out my website at:
http://www.brianrxm.com
Roman Coins, Mexican Coins, Favorite Coins, Movie Coins
The 1949 Mexico 1898 Peso Restrike for China