8 real? SPANISH HAMMERED COIN pre 1600's

Discussion in 'World Coins' started by HAGOP, May 26, 2009.

  1. HAGOP

    HAGOP Member

    I bought this coin which is in bad condition,Almost nothing to read on it,but mintmarks are readable B & D.
    Hammered coins are very difficult to authenticate.
    See the photos,tell me what do u think?
    I checked all the coins of spain after 1788 I didn't find hammered coins. I believe this one should before that date.
    Is it 8 reals?
    What should be the approximate price of this coin,I checked many on the internet auctions,at this large hammered spanish coins are sold more than $500.

    The coin is 27 Grams.

    THANK YOU

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  3. HAGOP

    HAGOP Member

    I just found this information for a simillar coin

     
  4. HAGOP

    HAGOP Member

    Mine looks like Hammer moved error?
     
  5. acanthite

    acanthite ALIIS DIVES

    The coin does not look real from the photos. But if it were, I would guess it to be an 8 reales cob from the Lima mint, Hapsburg shield type, assayer D. This would date it between 1577-1588. What you are calling a 'B' would be the denomination, 8.

    Edit: There are also some hammered 8 reales from Spain in the 1600's that look a bit like what this coin is imitating.

    The upper right of the shield is blundered, among other places, as in struck more than once but not overlayed correctly the second time.
     
  6. De Orc

    De Orc Well-Known Member

    Can I sugest that you contact Doug and ask his opinion on it :smile
     
  7. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    The coin has 1 glaring mistake - the 8 is on the wrong side of the coin. I know of no example, from any mint or date, ever found where the 8 is on the left and the assayer mark on the right. I'd say it's a fake.
     
  8. acanthite

    acanthite ALIIS DIVES

    I agree that it looks like a fake. However, with respect to the particular distribution of mint mark and denomination, would you agree the obverse looks a like the following example? This is the coin I used to come up with the above attribution (Menzel, page 177).
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  9. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    Do not have a copy of Menzel, and have never seen any example in any book with the 8 on the left like that one.
     
  10. ahearn

    ahearn Member

    The coin is apparently from Lima, Peru and the assayers was (D) Diego de la Torre. According to Daniel Sedwick in his well respected book, "The Practical Book of Cobs," he makes the following statement:
    "The coins of assayer Diego de la Torre of the 1577-1592 period are notable. His production is more scarce than rare, yet much sought because of the good quality of workmanship and wealth of varieties of mintmark-assayer-denomination combinations, any of which can be sometimes to the left of the shield, sometimes to the right."

    Here's a photo from page 77 of the book showing a 4-reales coin by the Peru mint and same assayer. Notice position of mintmarks.

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    edited
     
  11. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    I stand corrected in regard to the placement of the denomination/assayer marks.

    Still think the coin is a fake though.
     
  12. HAGOP

    HAGOP Member

    Did anyone notice that my coin doesn't have full circle?
    All the small dots are diveded by three parts,observe and reverse.
    check it well,fake coins shouldn't appear like it./ the fakes are always copied from the orginal ones, this one is totally different.

    Even the castle , it's a double die,there are two castles, there should be only one.
     
  13. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator


    No, they are not. Quite often fakes are produced from dies or castings that are not copied from genuine coins. I have even seen fakes with the wrong monarch's name on them.

    But yes, I noticed.
     
  14. ahearn

    ahearn Member

    Misaligned double stikes on Spanish-Colonial cobs are not unusual at all -- in fact, quite common -- and is not an indication either way of the authenticiy of the coin. However, personally, I would give this kind of "flaw" a nod to the "authentic" side of the question.
     
  15. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    This is correct, however design differences are usually a sure sign that the coin is fake.
     
  16. Mitch Wallner

    Mitch Wallner Junior Member

    similar coin

    I just joined because I was looking for information about this coin that I just bought. It is similar to this one, accept that it is only 2.5 grams, and about 1.1 inch in diameter (Not a genuine circle.). Instead of having an 8 on the left of the shield, it is an "1" or an "I". The right side has an "R". Does anyone know more about this?

    Thanks in advance,

    Mitch
     
  17. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    Post a picture if you can Mitch. But based on the weight you report, the coin is probably a fake since genuine examples of the 1 reale should weigh 3-3.2 grams.
     
  18. Mitch Wallner

    Mitch Wallner Junior Member

  19. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    It has the look of a cast fake. Given that and the weight being so far off, I'd have to supsect it is fake :mad:
     
  20. Mitch Wallner

    Mitch Wallner Junior Member

    Authentic

    I will have it weighed again, because I think it weighs more than what they had told me when I purchased it. (What would you say if it was 3 to 3.5 grams?)

    I know, I am in denial! :)
     
  21. Mitch Wallner

    Mitch Wallner Junior Member

    Verification

    Where can I have this coin verified for authenticity? That way I can determine if it is a fake or not.

    (Let's just say that this is a ral coin, do you know what this may be worth?)

    Thanks!
     
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