I just saw an ad in Smithsonian Magazine selling silver Spanish Colonial 8 Reales struck between 1772 and 1821, for $49 each. I have scoured the ad and it appears they are offering real coins, not copies. There is a reference to them being from a shipwreck, as well. Shouldn't they be worth more than $49? The seller is GovMint.com.
:hatch:I don't know much about Spanish Reales but from what I've read about them they are fairly common. Also, if the Smithsonian found them in a shipwreck I'm sure they found a lot of them. Its the Smithsonian. That would make those particular coins not as rare as some other varieties.
read the article again. Shipwreck= salt water damaged. They are just saltwater eroded, and cleaned. Pass on them, go for a few bucks more and buy something nice.
The Smithsonian didn't find them. It's and ad (advertisement) than ran in the Smithsonian Magazine. http://www.govmint.com/item/8-Reale-Silver-Dollar/8REALEWEB/79
The same site wants $3 each for common, circulated Mercury dimes that would cost you $1.30 right now at any coin dealer around here. Everything I looked at on their site is 2-3 times the going market price.
