1776 Bolivian Piece of Eight

Discussion in 'World Coins' started by Stephen Betz, Jan 20, 2019.

  1. Stephen Betz

    Stephen Betz Active Member

    Just a little something I thought you guys would like to see :) Very unique coin! My only pirate treasure haha.
     

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  3. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    While it is a pleasant old modern coin, it might be more the age that would be appreciated by those who read the World Coins section than here on Ancients.
     
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  4. frankjg

    frankjg Well-Known Member

  5. dadams

    dadams Well-Known Member

    I don't know about the coin, but I see the date reading 1778.
     
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  6. Randy Abercrombie

    Randy Abercrombie Supporter! Supporter

    Wonderful coin from a magic time in history. I have one like that with a very clear 1778/1777 overstrike.
     
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  7. Hookman

    Hookman Well-Known Member

    I see chop marks front and back, while not proof of anything, they are indicative of a real silver coin, but of course chop marks could be faked also.

    Those Far East merchants were very hard to fool, now they're fooling us !! lol
     
  8. Hookman

    Hookman Well-Known Member

    Hi Smitty , what's the cut-off line/date between Ancients and World Coins?
     
  9. dadams

    dadams Well-Known Member

    @RomanTheRussian would be able to tell you all about it. Here's one I picked up from him a couple years ago:

    IMG_3570.JPG
     
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  10. dougsmit

    dougsmit Member

    For the most part it is when machines were used to produce the coins by pressing rather than hand striking/hammering rather than a strict matter of date. Of course this does not cover cast coins very well and there are exceptions which are hard to classify like the last of the Russian wire money. Ancients are generally up to about 500 AD and medieval takes the next 1000 years (to c,1500) but we here on CT Ancients seem to do medieval as well. Some people call all Byzantine coins ancient because they see them as a continuation of Roman; others say they are medieval. There is no hardline for such labels but a machine pressed 1778 coin is modern/world to me. I realize there is an issue of milled English silver older than the last of their struck silver so we have to allow for exceptions. Cobs might be questionable but anything after about 1500 would be pushing the matter to be called ancient.
    How is that for a non-answer?
     
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  11. Stephen Betz

    Stephen Betz Active Member

    It was purchased 18 years ago from a coin dealer, my Dad got it for me, he's a lot more coin savy than I am in terms of older coins. I'll snap a pic though.
     
  12. Hookman

    Hookman Well-Known Member

    Actually, quite excellent Smitty. As you say, there is no hard line, but with the generalizations, a person can pretty much figure out where his/her coin belongs. That answer has been an enormous help to me. Thanks very much.
    Once I start posting photos, I'll post my Russian wire money and get some help identifying it.
    Thanks again.
     
  13. KIWITI

    KIWITI Well-Known Member

    Bolivia didn´t exist by 1776, it was a province in spanish territory called "Alto Perú". In fact, its modern name, "Bolivia" comes from its libertador, Simón Bolívar (1783-1830).
     
  14. jgenn

    jgenn World Crown Collector

    Can you post a photo of your 1778/7 8 reales? That's a scarce overdate that I have been looking for.
     
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  15. Randy Abercrombie

    Randy Abercrombie Supporter! Supporter

    Sure. It is damaged as you can see.
    4461E95B-F287-410C-A32C-A5D556897518.jpeg
     
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  16. jgenn

    jgenn World Crown Collector

    Oh, looks like it was used as jewelry or a button. I'd love to see the reverse, too.
     
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  17. Randy Abercrombie

    Randy Abercrombie Supporter! Supporter

    I only have the obverse saved to my photos. I'll have to photograph the reverse for you this evening
     
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  18. jgenn

    jgenn World Crown Collector

  19. Randy Abercrombie

    Randy Abercrombie Supporter! Supporter

    That's a deal
     
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  20. jgenn

    jgenn World Crown Collector

    Ha, you captured my quote before I changed it. Didn't want to suggest anything inappropriate here.
     
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  21. Randy Abercrombie

    Randy Abercrombie Supporter! Supporter

    You didn't at all. I believe on this forum when a person expresses an interest in wanting to own a person's coin. That is the ultimate compliment. I don't believe you suggested anything inappropriate at all.
     
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