Posted 09/02/2010 1:02 pm
alganbagerap The 1861 Zs VL 8 Reale is a common date from Zacatecas and there is an overdate variety 1/0 which is about as common as the normal date. Dunigan indicates there are multiple dies used in the manufacture of the overdate. This was a high production year and Dunigan indicates that the coin is well struck and appears in ALL grades - so I would not be in a hurry to buy this coin at a premium cost.
The coin has significant wear BUT was also obviously a weak strike. Look at the breast of the eagle and you can see the feathers are missing but NOT worn off. The central portion of the breast is HIGHER than the point where the wing meets the body - BUT both areas look the same. Assessing how much missing detail is due to wear versus strike effects the estimate of what the coin should weigh.
To check if it is real start you will need to get the coin in hand or get photos of the edge. The edge is engrailled not reeded or plain. The correct edge looks like a series of brackets or parenthesis with center dots. {{{{{{{{ These were still edged PRIOR to the strike on a two die parallel bar edge mill so there are TWO overlaps in the pattern and these overlaps are 180 degrees apart and are EXACTLY the same length (that is simple geometry).
The weight of an original 8R in this time period at Zacatecas should be very close to 27.0 grams NEW. Worn to the level I see here I would be suspicious if the coin weighs less than 26.5 grams.
It is likely worth about $10 to $15 over melt.
The coin has significant wear BUT was also obviously a weak strike. Look at the breast of the eagle and you can see the feathers are missing but NOT worn off. The central portion of the breast is HIGHER than the point where the wing meets the body - BUT both areas look the same. Assessing how much missing detail is due to wear versus strike effects the estimate of what the coin should weigh.
To check if it is real start you will need to get the coin in hand or get photos of the edge. The edge is engrailled not reeded or plain. The correct edge looks like a series of brackets or parenthesis with center dots. {{{{{{{{ These were still edged PRIOR to the strike on a two die parallel bar edge mill so there are TWO overlaps in the pattern and these overlaps are 180 degrees apart and are EXACTLY the same length (that is simple geometry).
The weight of an original 8R in this time period at Zacatecas should be very close to 27.0 grams NEW. Worn to the level I see here I would be suspicious if the coin weighs less than 26.5 grams.
It is likely worth about $10 to $15 over melt.
