First post. Got this at the mother of all estate sales just today. Same family in the house since the 1920s and they kept everything. I know only general info about these coins, so any info will be appreciated: Real or fake? If real, what exactly is this coin called? Approx. age? Approx. value? 1-3/8" diam. 15.1 grams (I know that seems a bit off for a 4 reales.) It's slightly concave/convex. Thanks `
I think you may be right. I wonder if it's contemporary if it is. However, I don't know much about this series. What makes you think it's fake? What stands out to you with it to have come to this conclusion?
I found this: OMD mark http://treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com/2012/03/31412-report-omd-marks-lidar-fake.html The D on both of these would indicate the assayer Diego de Godoy. And of course both are from the Mexico mint. The O is typically a little smaller than the M, as is the case on these two cobs and was the case for the mystery object bearing an OMD mark that I showed a couple of days ago.
This is one of mine I photographed recently. The OMD is the wrong font, wrong style and wrong placement in my mind. I haven't been enough of a scholar on these to give you detailed reasons but I wouldn't have purchased it as real.
Has strike doubling in the legends and to me looks genuine. But in such low grade that it almost doesn't matter.
(All this based on merely a gut check, since I'm no specialist) Looks a little suspicious to me, but it's cool looking and would still be a neat piece of jewelry if fake. It could be an old fake. Looks like it really is silver, yes? So at least not a cast base-metal modern "tourist souvenir" fake. Or maybe there's a chance it's real after all? Obviously, I have no idea. I'm just rambling, here. But even if fake, I like it better than many fakes I've seen. I wouldn't spend anything above estimated silver value for it, personally, but in that pricerange, I'd give it a go.
I did test it for silver, and yes, it is silver. The estate sale I got it at was selling stuff cheap, and by the box or grocery bag. I paid about $10 per full bag. Most of the things I got were smaller items and the seller didn't even bother to examine the contents, just peering in from the top. So I basically got it for maybe 25 or 50 cents. The only other coins I found (in old dresser drawers, writing desks, and shoe boxes) were a 1951 Franklin half-dollar and a 1946 Booker T Washington half dollar. Both basically free. Back to my original question: If it's real, what might the age be? Also, specifically what's it called?
Kind of hard to lose at that price! Even if it's fake, it's worth more than that as a neat jewelry piece! If it turns out to be real, I hate you! Haha. WTG!
I have been collecting and researching macuquinos" or "cobs", as these irregular Spanish coins are often called, since 1991 and I am afraid the one you have here is in all likelihood not real. Your coin is molded along the lines of a Mexico 8 Reales piece from the 17th century, but with some peculiar inconsistencies. The shield is indicative of the Mexico mint (oM mint mark) in design together with the mint mark "D" for an unknown assayer around 1620 to 1630. The cross side, while also from the Mexico mint, is a design that was used much later, around the 1680s to 1690s. You can look at images of these designs when you peruse some of the old auction catalogues available online, especially those by Daniel and Frank Sedwick. The usual surface striations found on such coins, even on very worn ones, are not present here, making it likely this specimen was cast rather than hammer struck. Best Regards, Marcus Lindemann
I just enlarged the three images you have posted here an noticed the presence of tiny silver bubbles on the surface, which also point to casting.
