Here she is, my first 8 Reales, graded XF-45 by PCGS in a Gen 3.1 holder. The coin that inspired the Dollar, and a coin that would have been familiar to Americans during colonial times through the 1850s as the 8 Reales was a global currency thanks to Spain's silver mines in the new world.
Beautiful piece of history and art. I always wanted to find a half reale Metal Detecting and I did eventually find one, but it was unfortunately "slick". Someday I'll own an 8 reale also. thanks for sharing! BTW: Looks AU to me.
Nice coin! I have owned two in my time. One countermarked with King George III head over Charles III of spain, and the other with some chop marks in rough shape. Love the size and weight of these not to mention the artistry and history. Fantastic coin!
That's nice looking coin! Although mine's worn and covered in oriental chopmarks. And it's older cousin, the Cob Reales. Philip IV (1621-1665), 26.17g.
Mine is not only chop marked, but harshly cleaned. Still, it's history. Here also is my 1 reale and my 1/2 reale, both less than wonderful, but, again, they are history.
I collect mainly Sicilian and Italian coins and King Charles III of Spain, that we see on these 8 Reales coins, was King Carlo III di Borbone of Sicily and Southern Italy before he became King of Spain in 1759. From 1734 to 1759 he was King in Napoli (Naples) and his kingdom extended from Southern Italy down to Sicily. This King's silver coins minted in Naples and Sicily had more variety than the later Spanish coins. For instance when his son Filippo was born in 1747 they issued special silver coins that had a portrait of Carlo/Charles III and his Queen on the obverse and a portrait of his wife holding their baby on the reverse.
Here is my 8 Reales. And an earlier one Shipwreck Treasure, VOC Hollandia Wreck, Sank Scilly Isles 1743. Silver 8 Reales Spain, Philip V 1740. Provenance : Pedigreed to the Sotheby, Parke-Bernet auction of June 1972, with original lot-tags. Recovered from: Hollandia, sunk in 1743 off the Isles of Scilly, southwest of England. Hollandia was a ship of the Dutch East India Company (Dutch: Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie; VOC) which wrecked on Annet, Isles of Scilly on 13 July 1743 causing 276 fatalities. The wreck was discovered in 1971 by Rex Cowan, a London attorney.
