A question for collectors of Spanish colonials. Other than some of the dealers listed in VCoins (like Civitas), are there any others who I could trust for 8 reale pieces from Mexico, Peru, etc (pre-1800)? A review of eBay leaves me disenchanted, as some of what I see is clearly fake, others I can't be sure. I did run across a US dealer named New World Treasures who has some, but I don't have any reference for the company. Any opinions would be welcome, gracias.
In addition to Civitas, Heritage Auctions, Frank Sedwick, and David Lawrence Rare Coins, all offer such coins.
I would go with any of these - small correction - he goes by Dan Sedwick. here's a link to his site - Dan Sedwick
Thought I'd post here rather than starting a new thread on this subject. Below I attach an 8 reale, Mexico City, 1743, that I saw for sale today. Any obvious signs of it being a forgery? It does have some dark 'crinkles' on both sides, I don't know what to make of those but I have seen it before. Thanks for any help.
I see nothing right off that makes me suspicious. The "crinkles" you mention appear to be a planchet flaw and they are sometimes found on genuine examples. But before buying the coin, if I were you, I would ensure that you have a good return policy, weigh the coin and measure it. None of these things absolutely prove the coin is genuine - only an in hand exam by an expert can do that - but it's as close as you get to proof.
