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 Replies: 22 / Views: 9,408 |
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Pillar of the Community
Mexico
1304 Posts |
Ok ok ok ... I know, photos. I didn't have a camera with me. :(
Today I visited my long time supplier, a local Mexican with a metal detector that goes out into the ruins looking for coins to sell on the street. Well, I picked up three coins that I was convinced were worth buying...but there was one other that I could not commit to. It was TINY!
Maybe just a smidge larger than 1/4 of an inch wide, silver and definitely Mexican. I it was from mid-century (don't remember the date, but it was either mid-1700's or mid-1800's) and on one side had the eagle with only the words "republica mexicana."
Sound familiar?
(as an aside, SwamperBob, do you only collect counterfeit 1 pesos? He had a small counterfeit from the mid 1700's...don't remember the details, but I thought of you)
I'll be posing photos of the three that I did get later on...one is a real gem!
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
I have seen quite a few reproduction miniatures, mainly in 8ct gold, but in silver as well.
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Pillar of the Community
 Mexico
1304 Posts |
This didn't look like a miniature. Looked full-scale, just REALLY small. I don't remember it's denomination, but it wasn't much.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
2448 Posts |
Hey harrison, told ya, gotta have good pics. Your post of that Aus. Talher (sp) was great. Your sales will go way up with good pics. BTW let me know when you find some more pesos.
Mike
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Pillar of the Community
Mexico
1304 Posts |
Mike, you are dead on the money...was thinking of going back today for a look again, but afriad I will not see the coin again after this. (I live eight hours away)
He has some colonial coins etc...some I will not touch for a number of reasons, have to be selective with this guy. I guess I'll just have to drag my ancient 1991 Krause down there with me and hope for the best!!
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Valued Member
United States
425 Posts |
Pictures! Pictures! Pictures! Way too many fakes of these coins to tell you any thing w/o Pictures!
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Pillar of the Community
Mexico
1304 Posts |
Well, he wasn't there. I have little idea what coin it was and I have to head out tomorrow... :(
does anyone have any suggestions on what type of coin I might have seen? I don't see anything in Krause that looks right...
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Moderator
 United States
16679 Posts |
Yeah,  when you get a chance. Only way to be sure. swcoin.ecrater.com
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Pillar of the Community
Mexico
1304 Posts |
Ok, thank you for the clarity in the multiple requests for what I don't have...and will unlikely be able to get. (I leave tomorrow)
However, I would likely recognized the coin if I saw it. Soooo...sorry to turn the tables on everyone...but, it's my turn:
I want suggestions! I want PICS!! :p
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5362 Posts |
harrison2 The first clue is the wording REPUBLICA MEXICANA - that wording dates the coin to anytime AFTER 1821. Most of the tiny silver coins pre-date the Republican era so that eliminates the majority of candidates. The size "just over a quarter of an inch" is too small for any actual silver coin issued in Mexico but the legend REPUBLICANA was in fact used alone on the silver quarter Reale. That coin measures about 11 millimeters which is nearly 1/2 an inch. The silver quartilla has a Female head on one side with the mint mark near the lower left side and the assayer initials on the lower right side. The other side has a fraction in the center 1/4 with REPUBLICA MEXICANA around it. The date is below the fraction in line with the legend. The coin weighs 8/10ths of a gram and has a plain edge.  If that is not the coin - it may be a fantasy issue of the Maximilian type. These tiny items are technically not coins and were made in the 1960's and more recently. The dated versions usually say 1865 have a bust of Max on one side and an eagle on the other. But the legend does not read REPUBLICA MEXICANA. There is a second version - the same size dated 1822 which has a picture of Iturbide on it but it does not have the correct legend. The third version I know of has an Aztec indian on one side and the aztec calendar on the other. Here is the token that is the best candidate - the one at the top is the 1960 version with the B and the one at the bottom is a more modern knock-off. 
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Pillar of the Community
Mexico
1304 Posts |
Swamperbob, thank you for taking the energy to reply to my post. Your photos are great!
Your comments only thicken the plot. I saw the silver quartilla in Krause but it doesn't look familiar. Thank you for the photo, I couldn't find one online and the one in my version of Krause is terrible.
For what it's worth, when I saw this coin it's size reminded me of a "panama pill," a tiny Panamanian issue that I had when I was a kid. (I told someone not five minutes after seeing this coin that it was narrower than my pinky fingernail) When I look through Krause, KM#410, a 1 peso gold coin with a simple eagle and the words "Republica Mexicana" seems to have the same simplicity as this little silver coin, but I don't think the other side was the same..."1 peso"
I SINCERELY thought it would be a simple question and I'd find out that it was a common $5 coin. Now, the worst of all possibilities, serious DOUBT is creeping in and the answer isn't so forthcoming.
Sadly, I'll be leaving before I can meet up with the contact again. However, there is hope! I plan on having a friend track down my gypsy street vendor and take a couple of photos.
I'll keep everyone informed and hope to have PICTURES soon. :)
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5362 Posts |
The Panama Pill has no equivalent among real Mexican coins issued by the government. The gold peso (13 mm) is actually larger than the silver quartilla (11 mm) or the Maximilian tokens at (9 mm or so). So whatever you have stumps me. I suspect a fantasy or perhaps one of those ting "shrunken" coins sold at tourist shops.
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Pillar of the Community
Mexico
1304 Posts |
The plot thickens!
You are right, this coin wasn't the same size as the panama pill, but it was in the same general category of "very small coins." I just hope when all this is over it doesn't turn out to be the quartillo and my memory was the main culprit!
I'll swing by his corner this morning. Though I doubt he'll be there, it's worth a shot.
Again, thank you for applying your vast knowledge of Mexican coins to my slight misfortune.
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Pillar of the Community
Mexico
1304 Posts |
Sigh...this hurts. Here are the photos so lovingly supplied by my 3rd party.   |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5362 Posts |
Looks like a Quartilla and a 1/2 reale to me. The head side of the Quartilla in the picture to the right is unmistakable. The size is about right if I extrapolate measurements from a 2x2 holder.
Edited by swamperbob
03/02/2011 3:03 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Mexico
1304 Posts |
Sadly, I have to agree...I really thought I remembered it having an eagle on it. :(
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Replies: 22 / Views: 9,408 |
Posted 02/26/2011 01:35 am
