hi, this is my first posting on here and, i was wondering if anyone could help , i have a silver coin from 1867, its spanish and its a 2 escudos coin and there is a shield on the front with two pillars and a womens head on the back with the name of isabell 2. ive seen one exactsame on ebay for 150 euros just wondering if any one can help me
Hi lad, and welcome to the forum. Actually, the bust of Queen Isabell is on the obverse (front) and the shield is on the reverse (back). If genuine (and I say that simply because there are many counterfeits - both contemporary and modern - of most coins of that era) it is cataloged as KM#629/Yeoman#44 in the Standard Catalog of World Coins 19th Century, 3rd Ed., commonly referred to as "Krause". The value of any coin depends on a number of factors, including rarity and condition/grade. The mintage of that coin in 1867 was 4,234,000, so it is less valuable in any given grade than the 1868 version with a mintage of 2,225,000, and much less valuable than the 1865/66 versions for which mintage numbers are unknown, but much smaller. There should be a small six-pointed star on the coin, which is the Madrid mint mark. If not, all bets are off. It could be a fake; or, if it has a colonial mint mark, for example Mexico City's "o" over "M", it could have been struck at one of the many mints established by Spain in the New World. If it was the "exact same", it was considerably overpriced! Krause values the 1867 at $12.50 for Very Good, $25 Fine, $40 Very Fine and $70 eXtra Fine. VG is actually in barely collectible condition, with extremely heavy wear. XF is noticeably worn, but with sharp and clearly defined features and legends. On the other hand, if it was an uncirculated 1868 the price was not as far out of line - Krause says $150 in XF. If it was one of the 1865/66 coins it was a super bargain, as their catalog values go from $800 for a VG '65 to $6,000 for an XF '66. Post a picture of both sides of your coin, and we may be able to help you assign a grade. BTW it's 25.96g of .900 silver, with an ASW (actual silver weight) of .7512 oz., so it has a bullion value of about $5.42 at current silver values.
hi, thank u for an excellent n v fast reply, im v impressed. ive attached thebest pics i can do as my digi cam isnt v good at close ups, the coin shows fine detail on the head of the coin, showing hairlines and the letters on the neck of the head saying L.M and there is the six pointed star on the coin too that u mentioned.
Realizing that grading is not an exact science, and that coins are often better or worse than they appear in photos, I would give yours an F for the obverse and a VF for the reverse. Unfortunately, that pretty much combines to a simple F grade. BTW that legend is Spanish for "Isabel 2d by the Grace of God and the Constitution" on the obverse and "Queen of the Spains" on the reverse, where your thumb is partially obscuring it. Coins, especially silver, should not be touched by your fingers, as oily residue can be left which damages the coin - even circulated ones that don't need more abuse.
