I wanted to show you one of the highlights of my Spanish Colonial collection. This is an 8 reales coin minted in 1810 in Santiago de Chile, in the name of the Spanish king Fernando VII. Santiago mint coins are among the scarcer of the the Spanish mints in the new world. Generally scarcer as a type than coins from the Mexico, Lima (Peru), and the Potosi (Bolivia) mints. On the other hands, coins minted at the 2 mints in what is now Colombia, are generally still scarcer. This Bust type is of the so-called Uniformed Imaginary bust type. I think called "imaginary" because portraits of the new king Fernando had not yet arrived in Chile when the dies for the new king were engraved, after the death of the previous king Carlos IV. So this portrait represents the artist's rendition of what they thought the new king looked like. In that year, 1810, chilean rebel patriots under Bernardo O'Higgins (a Chilean Patriot of mixed irish and creole descent) declared, prematurely as it turned out, their independence from Spain of the Captancy General of Chile. The spanish retaliated, aided by rugged and experienced spanish troops sent as reinforcements from Peru, some of whom had fought in the Peninsular war in Spain against the French. The spanish succeeded in reconquering Chile for the crown, including the capital Santiago. Final independence from Spain was only to be achieved after a further 8 years of bitter and bloody struggle in 1818.
Very nice coin Eduard! I have recently started collecting Spanish Colonial coinage so I can appreciate your coin.
Thank you all for your comments. This is a fairly nice specimen of the type, with substantial amounts of proof-like surface remaining. Tenacious, i think you will find collecting Spanish Colonial coins very rewarding. I decided to focus on the Lima, Peru and specially the Santiago, Chile mints, and it has proven very challenging, but also very interesting. I wish you much success and enjoyment! Regards, Eduard
Excellent coin and history. Thank you for posting it. I too like Spanish Colonials and the interesting history behind each one. There's so many factors about the coins that make them fascinating -- the style (cobs (many varieties), milled pillar, milled bust), the country of origin (mint), the date, the assayer, and the history of discovery if they are shipwreck coins. My guess would be that your coin may be from a shipwreck because of the uneven wear on the top right edge, which could be caused by corrosion from being under saltwater.
