Hi all.....I've been a long time lurker on these and finally registered Came across a couple coins that im having trouble finding info on... can anyone help me out? And do you guys think it would be worth having either one slabbed? And what agency would you suggest? :::edit: better pics below:::: Coin Two: Thanks for any input..... -Adam
Hi Adam. Welcome to the forum. The top coin appears to be a silver Mexican 2 Reales of Ferdinand VII, KM#92, described as an "armored bust" obverse, with the typical Mexico City Mint's pillars, shield and crown reverse. I don't collect Spanish Colonials, and can't explain the "F I" initials following the denomination on the reverse. According to the Krause 19th Century Standard Catalog of World Coins, there was no 19th Century assayer who used an "I" initial, and the "F" belongs to an assayer who went out of office in 1803. An 1811 should have an HJ, TH, or combination of both. If genuine it should be about 27mm wide, struck from 6.77g of .903 silver (.1965 oz. ASW), with a retail catalog value in the $15-150 range in that condition. The bottom coin is a common Chinese cash coin. Your top picture (which is upside down) is the obverse, and the bottom (which needs to be rotated 90 degrees to the right) is the reverse. This type of brass coin was cast for well over a thousand years. Sorry, but I don't read the characters well enough to find it in Fisher's Ding, the most comprehensive English language reference book on cash coins. I recently acquired a copy and I'm just not very proficient at using it yet.
Thanks for the info..... the silver coin weighs 6 grams on my gram scale, it measures somewhere around 28 to 29 MM across(1.135-1.140 inches)......
It needs to be seen by someone who's familiar with those coins. The wrong initials and a 10% weight error raise some serious red flags.
I'll see if i can find someone who knows of these coins........ Also the scale i have only measures gram increments.....so the coin is somewhere between 6 and 6.9 grams.....
Was thinking the 'I' could be a worn 'J 'myself......still unsure though... Got the scanner working better pics:
I am inclined to agree. Doug has forgotten more about Spanish Colonials than I ever expect to know. The "J" on Chile KM#74 is separated much further from the "F" than the one (if it is a "J") on the coin in question. The position of the "VII" differs. It may just be the wear, but the ribbons on the side pillars don't look quite right. (Based on Adam's last comment, the weight is too indeterminate to be a factor.)
Honestly, I've had the gut feeling it was a fake since I found the coin......but figured I would see what other more knowledgable folks had to say about it Now why the heck would someone fake a coin that in essence was never made?? Ahh well......at least i have 6 or so grams of silver(i think ) thanks for all the help everybody -Adam
Adam,if I were you,I would check your Krause again,as there were some Chilean coins struck with a crude bust.The intials are definitely F.J. The date 1811 is the right period for this mint official's initials,as F.J also appears on a few Republican Chilean coins as well.It is definitely not a fake coin.
Sorry - but I'm gonna stick with my original opinion - I think the coin is fake. On the obverse - a few of the letters in the legends are out of place and of the wrong design (font). The design of the chest plate is wrong. So are some other minor design details. On the reverse - the mint mark is about 3 times too large. Several of the letters in the legend are out of place and of the wrong design. And if I could see the edge of the coin - I'd bet that has the wrong design too. I think this coin is a contemporary counterfeit - as such, it's a collectible in its own right.
