Found 1799(?) Coin w/ Word 'Hispano' around Edge and Coat of Arms in Center -Help!

Hey guys,
Was looking through some customer rolled pennies I purchased from Wells Fargo last week and out came this little coin, silver in color, roughly the size of a dime. It's very worn, but I can make out on one side the word 'Hispano' around the edge, and on that same side of the coin, what looks to be the coat of arms in the center. On the flip side I can make out some letters - either a 'B' or 'C', 'A', 'R', 'O', 'L', 'U'... after that it's not legible, and then there are Roman Numerals - III. On that same side, at the bottom edge, I'm pretty sure I can just barely make out '1799.'

I did a Google search for '1799 Hispano Coin' and oddly enough a page from a book on Google Books came up, with a description of a coin that looks like it fits what I found (with the exception of maybe the size):

"The following paragraph appeared in the Torquay Directory, newspaper:— "A Spanish coin, above the size of a five shilling piece, was picked up by a workman last Sunday morning [Feb. 18th, 1877], on Torre Abbey Sands [near Torquay]. It bore the Spanish Arms and the word 'Hispano' on one side, and 'Carolus III. 1759 (or 1799), Dei Gratia,' on the other. John Stevens who was employed in the Directory office, saw the workman pick up the coin, which appeared to be of a yellowish metal. When the soil with which it was encrusted was removed, it was noticed that the obverse represented a head, much like one of the Georges, with the words around it' Carolus III. Dei Gratia.' On the reverse was a kind of arch and gateway, with the word 'Hispano' over it, and the figures '1759' or '1799' beneath. Stephens is doubtful whether the tens digit was 5 or 9, but Davey feels certain that it was 9; and as they are both positive that the Roman numeral after the king's name was MI, not III, there can be no doubt that the date was 1799, as Charles IV. of Spain reigned from 1788 to 1808. (J. T. W.)"



Here are some photos - the 1943 Canadian penny was also in one of the rolls, but it's in these pics to give an idea of the size


I'd love to know what this coin is if anyone has any clue Thanks guys.

 

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You found that while roll searching? Wow.

Its a common spanish real coin. I cant tell the denomination but it looks like a 1 real. In that shape its worth about $6 or so.

 

Yeah it just plopped right out of the roll of pennies. lol. I was so excited because even though I figured it'd be worthless, it's the first very old coin I've found.

 

Hey thanks so much for your help. With what you said I was able to find this, and this is definitely the same coin I found, although this ones the 8 Reales, a few years of an earlier date, and a beauty!

 

If it was in better shape it would be a $25-$50 coin depending on the mint it was made.

Still thats a awesome for a roll find, congrats!

 

I have a 8 reales myself from 1788. They are pretty cool coins.

I have the smaller denominations like you found but they are barely a few steps higher in quality like your new find.

The 4 reales are the more expensive denominations.

 

Hey forgot to ask, do you know if this is silver?

 

Yes its silver.

 

That's so awesome!! the coolest thing I found in a roll of pennies (besides pennies) was a polish 20 groszy coin

 

Thats a story that needs to be sent into Coin World for sure. Terrific find. Congrats.

 

it probably a 1/2 reales rather than a real

see if you can read anything at 11 oclock of the legend at the side with the two pillars , you might be able to find mint and moneyer

see if you see M with a dot or Limae monogram or S with a dot or whatever

 

Great find. Fortune smiles on you, buy a lotto ticket, youre hot !

 

:thumb:

 

If I had to make an educated guess using the magnifier that I have (it's only a 5 or 10 X zoom), I would say there's an S in the spot you mentioned. I'm trying to find a picture of a 'Limae Monogram' that you mentioned to try and compare my coin with it and see if it's there.

Also, pretty sure I agree with you about the denomination. It's very small - just the size of a US dime, maybe a tad bit smaller due to wear.

Can you show me on the coin below what to look for on mine?

 

the 1/2 real you own do not have the denomination like the 2 reales you have posted

so you need to look at 9 o clock for the mint mark (LIMAE in the coin you posted) and 10-12 o clock for the mintmasters initial (IJ) in your coin.

the three most likely possibilities are
M with dot Mexico City
PTS monogram Potosi
LIMAE monogram Lima

the scarcer possibilities are

NG Nuova Guatemala
S with a dot Santiago
NR Nuevo Reino
P Popayan

your coin is a colonial issue , not a coin from spain so i m excluding the other spanish mint such as madrid , segovia and seville

 

Thanks a lot for your help. Under close inspection the mint mark looks to either be M or NR. The longer I stare at it the more different options it turns into Since you say the NR is more scarce, I'll stick with first instinct which seems to be the most visible. M. As for mintmasters initials, no idea. I maybe see a J in there, possibly a C.

 

hmmm post a better and larger picture of the coin maybe we can help

anyway

mexico city for 1799 has M with a dot and FM as mintmasters M F M
Guatemala for 1799 has NG and M as mintmaster N G M
consider Lima which for 1799 has LIMAE and IJ for mintmasters MAE I J