Ever since I saw The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Applegate Treasure, the first of the season's sixteen serials which debuted on The Mickey Mouse Club's 2nd season in 1956. I wasn't to be born until 1964 (hence my nic rad1964). But, I did remember either seeing the episode on a rerun or actually reading the series books The Hardy Boys in the late 60's. Doubloons, treasure.. what more could fuel a boy! Now here I come 30 years later. My inner kid wants doubloons still. I work on the internet as a web designer, so I googled pieces of eight and learned about 8 Reales a little bit. And I made this impulse buy. So now the dream is to have a chest full! OK, it was always the dream {;-()> rad1964
Nice find. The 1824 coins were among the last (1825 was THE last) from the Potosi Spanish mint. What is interesting is the Potosi mintmark (reverse, 8 o'clock postion), which was the last in a series of evolutionary changes to the mark over a number of years. It's a monongramed combination of a PTSI, and some people hypothesize it is where the American dollar sign [ $ ]came from -- the S with only the vertical portion of the PTI.
I just did some digging and discovered these facts (that I was not aware of) so perhaps I can enlighten more... A doubloon and a piece of eight are 2 different coins. A doubloon is gold and is was worth 16 times a piece of eight (which is silver). Pieces of eight were Spanish silver coins (pesos) that weighed approximately 28 grams and contained a very fine quality of silver with a purity range of 92% - 98%. The coin received its name because it had a nominal value of 8 reales and was often cut with a sword or dagger into eight pieces or bits to produce smaller currency. You can see the V cut from several coins to make bits. The doubloon was first minted in 1566 during the reign of Phillip II of Spain. It was a very valuable gold coin - referred to as a gold piece - minted in Mexico, Peru, and Spain and commonly used in Spain and in Spanish America. The piece of eight was the more common form of currency - the standard dollar - among the Spanish with the gold doubloon worth 16 pieces of eight. So, I guess I must re-think what sort of pirate chest goods to collect... since collecting gold is probably beyond my reach It must be pieces of eight Info found mainly on http://www.piratesoul.com
Spanish colonial milled reales (like yours) are about 92% silver. And the weights of the milled coinage (beginning in Mexico City in 1732, Potosi in 1767) average just over 27g with a 5% tolerance. More info for your trivia. The US quarter is referred to as 'two bits'. This is because one bit (12 1/2 cents) is the same as one reale, with 8 reales = 1 dollar.
Cool looking coin Rad...I am glad I suggested you post it from the 1978-d Lincoln post ...Another good job on photos..love the history stuff
Another theory on the dollar sign is from the particular shape of the pillar on either the columnario or portrait reales with the banner wrapped around it:
This brings up a question. I've only been interested in Spanish Colonial coins for a relatively short time but have done a lot of research, browsing the market, and some buying but I've never ever seen a 8 Reales coin, milled or cob, with a V-shaped cut, and never seen wedges from such a coin. Do they actually exist? Do they have any value? Is it just a myth?
I've seen the wedges for sale, but not often. Price depends on several factors, one being particular counterstamps. I believe this subject was discussed here at CT not too long back.
WOW..take a coin ...cut it into 8 equal wedges and then sell for a profit. Is it me or is there something kinda E-bayish there...lol
Believe I am the one who first promulgated the idea that the Potosi mint mark was the origin of the dollar sign. Of course there are several other theories, none of them can be definitively proved. But of all the theories, mine is the only one in which the symbol bears an actual physical resemblance to the dollar sign. If you would like to know more about Spanish colonial coinage I suggest you try these links found right here on Coin Talk - Spain & Spanish Colonial You can also view my albums to see some examples of this coinage, like this one -
