Is it silver? Is the edge inscripted? Is it 41mm? I want to share this webpage with you - http://www.theresia.name/en/index.html
I have learned these coins are mostly real, but have been made almost every year since 1780 with the same date as a tradition.
I would say the chances are it is a restrike. They've done so many restrikes I have no idea how you would even being to tell a real one apart.
So the restrikes are still silver and the same composition? Is it like a frozen date? Were they restruck to circulate or as a collector's item or something else?
It does have the edge inscription. I saw it for sale so I don't have it in hand to measure it or tell if it's silver.
Especially after World War II, Maria Theresa's (and British gold sovereigns) were one of the major storehouses of wealth in the Middle East - Arabia, Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon, this was the "go-to" coin. They were popular long before that, of course, which is why they struck them basically unchanged for nearly 200 years. Now maybe the Chinese are striking them, but those would not be so popular. ===========edit As far as I know, 99.9% are restrikes; they're just a bullion coin, struck many different places over the years.
I think the OP's question is if this is an authentic modern restrike or rather a Chinese counterfeit, right? Edit: ok I guess Numismat has provided an answer already... still it would be good to know how to identify counterfeits
Yeah, I was looking to avoid a Chinese counterfeit. I don't know much about these coins but I had an idea that this one wasn't really from 1780.
If I remember correctly, the 1st 30+ years of striking were made for circulation, but like Numismat said your example is possibly 20th century. However, even late 19th century examples are just as nice looking, much like Morgan $.
Follow up question: Do you think this is fake? I'm pretty sure it is, but I'd like confirmation. The eagle looks off. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1891-MEXICO-LIBERTAD-MoAM-8-Reales-Silver-/252107083846?hash=item3ab2c0d046 Compare to this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mexico-1891...0&pid=100005&rk=2&rkt=6&sd=252107083846&rt=nc
Chances are if it's in UNC condition still it could be a restrike (millions of these were made after 1780) I have a few of these myself but they weren't struck in 1780 like the coin says. Yes, "real" as in made of silver, but I can't tell when it was made. That's a lot less than melt value. You did good on that.
Thanks. It was one of those "estate sale" coins on ebay with a really low bid so I was intrigued but cautious. It seems like about half the coins on eBay were from estate sales.