Here is a coin I'm hoping to add to my collection. It weights 26.92 grams, which seems right to me. I believe the edge looks right and appears to have a normal lap (Picture #3.) I do know that there where many types of counterfeits produced of these coins...including the counter stamped ones. I'm having difficulty determining whether or not this may be a counterfeit since I don't have a vast knowledge of these fakes. I was hoping some members here who knew about Reales would take a look at the pictures I have provided and let me know what they think. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts! Also, does anyone know why there seems to be two KM#'s for these pieces? Did the numbers change? I have found them online listed under KM#242 & in my older Krause Catalog they seem to be listed under KM#73. Thanks!
Just noticed the stamped Reales KM#242 was listed in Krause under Brazil. It is the stamped coin that would explain the two KM#'s.
My coin is a Bolivian 8 Reales dated 1808. It is counterstamped by Minas Gerais (a state in eastern Brazil). The counterstamp made this coin legal tender in Brazil as 960 Reis. In 1808, a law was passed in Brazil authorizing counterstamps to be used on many circulating Spanish 8 Reales coins. The silver value of these Spanish coins was 750 to 800 Reis per coin but Brazil stamped & passed the coins at 960 Reis. This gave the government a nice profit of 160 to 210 Reis for every coin that they stamped.
