Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;GDJMSP, post: 1597276, member: 112&quot;]There was no I used in the Potosi mint mark, just the PTS. Sources that say otherwise are wrong.</p><p><br /></p><p>I already told you what theory I think to be correct - mine.</p><p><br /></p><p>And no, the Potosi mint mark is not based on the Pillars of Hercules. It is based on exactly what I said it was. Just like all of the other Spanish colonial mint marks.</p><p><br /></p><p>And for the benefit of you, and others who read this, I will tell you something that all need to be aware of. Just because you can find information on the net, in a book, in an article, anyplace; and just because you can find that information repeated in various sources - that does not mean that information is correct.</p><p><br /></p><p>When one studies numismatics, and I mean really studies, one thing soon becomes very evident. That thing is that numismatic authors, just like all authors, are very prone to merely copy and or repeat what has been presented by other authors who have gone before them. And if the original author made a mistake or was just flat out wrong, then everybody who copied him or used him as a source was wrong as well. </p><p><br /></p><p>This occurrence is so common as to almost defy belief. Nonetheless it is true. There are so many books, articles, papers and web sites out there that contain bad, incorrect information that it be very difficult to sort them out. And it can take a long time to do that. Because when it comes to coins, it is not uncommon to find bad information that has been repeated over and over for more than a hundred years, sometimes even hundreds of years.</p><p><br /></p><p>How do you sort it out ? By going back to primary sources and discounting all secondary sources. What are primary sources ? Original mint records, original correspondence, decrees, laws, etc. etc. </p><p><br /></p><p>It is never easy to do this, but it can be done. Spain for instance is one of the countries that kept meticulous records, and those records from centuries ago still exist. Venice is another example. Original records from the Venetian mint dating back to the 12th century, and maybe from even before, still exist today.</p><p><br /></p><p>But most authors won&#039;t do that. Instead they just copy what has been said by others before them. They feel like writing something so they read some books and sit down and write it. Never even giving any thought to whether or not what they are writing is correct or not.</p><p><br /></p><p>Let me give you an example. Walter Breen was thought of, and still is, as being one of the titans of numismatics. His books are used far &amp; wide and trusted by many as being gospel. But today, it is known without any doubt, that Breen was wrong about more than few things. So unless you are well read enough to know what Breen was right about, and what he was wrong about, then it is all to easy for you to believe bad, incorrect information.</p><p><br /></p><p>In today&#039;s world all too many people think that if it&#039;s on the internet then it must be true. Well, trust me, it isn&#039;t. But some of it is. It is up to you to sort that out <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie2" alt=";)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your name or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Stay logged in