And I had no idea what it was until I began to look around on ebay (US and Europe). Its well worn, probably no even almost good. Turns out its a Spanish Reale of King Carolus IIII. The date appears to be 1797. I found that these were made late 1700s and early 1800s. It was holed as many old coins were. Makes me want to get out there and do a little metal detecting now...
"Makes me want to get out there and do a little metal detecting now..." It depends on where he found it. If he found it the middle of a field in Ohio, don't waste your time. If he found it along the east/gulf coast ...start digging it probably washed ashore from a shipwreck on it's was from Mexico to Spain. Chances are there won't be more but digging is great exercise Post a picture of it.
He found it in the yard of an old house in Lowell NC, not near the coast. Probably came off a chain or string.
It could be genuine or fake, but if it is as worn as you say then I'd say odds are its genuine - regardless of where you found it. These coins are still quite popular as jewelry and it sounds like that's what yours was.
