Picked up a couple coins at the Gun Show... (Reales - BIG PICS added)

AskRaq · January 27, 2008 7:28AM

Five very worn silver coins (one holey*), that were described as "colonial era"....

Got 'em home under real light & 4 of them are Reales... how do you differentiate the denomination by size?

Three are the size of a nickel (1807*, 1780, 1777)
One is the size of an SBA dollar (1774)

I don't own any other ones & have nothing to compare them to... Thanks ~

**Edited to add pics**.... Sorry about the size (using someone elses's camera & laptop - no photo editing software...)

These are the nickel sized ones:

This is the SBA dollar sized one (has gooey gunk on the obverse)

TomB · January 27, 2008 7:49AM

8R are about the size of a silver dollar, 4R about the size of a half dollar, 2R about the size of a quarter and 1R about the size of a small cent.

AskRaq · January 27, 2008 2:25PM

Pics added...................................... any value on these? (in this poor condition.....?)

tightbudget · January 27, 2008 2:26PM

Not bad. You can use acetone to remove that goo if you don't like it.

BECOKA · January 27, 2008 2:27PM

Too lazy to search tonight. What is the history on these? i.e. what are Reales and where are they from?

AskRaq · January 27, 2008 2:28PM

I am *guessing*.... that I have three 1R & a 2R, from Tom's description...............???

AskRaq · January 27, 2008 2:31PM

<< <i>Too lazy to search tonight. What is the history on these? i.e. what are Reales and where are they from? >>

From what little looking I've done, I've deduced that they are Spanish coins used in the colonial times in America... and were later replaced by the Mexican Peso??

jonathanb · January 27, 2008 2:42PM

The one with a hole is a 1 Real. Look at 9:00 on the reverse where it says "1 R". The others are more worn. You might be able to make out the denominations better than I can.

AskRaq · January 27, 2008 2:50PM

<< <i>The one with a hole is a 1 Real. Look at 9:00 on the reverse where it says "1 R". The others are more worn. You might be able to make out the denominations better than I can. >>

Hey Jonathon... thanks for pointing that out (I had no idea what to look for... or where) - the larger one has a 2 on it... so at least now I know what I have!

fruitloops · January 27, 2008 3:01PM

As far as I know, these coins were used in the US in colonial times before established coinage as bits.
They are spanish coins.

Dawg144 · January 27, 2008 3:02PM

If I'm seeing the coins correctly, they all look to have been minted in Mexico City.
The mintmark is an O nested above an M, and found on the reverse between "Rex" and the denomination.

As far as value, I think these are pretty common...maybe worth a little more than melt (?). Some of the experts at the darkside might have a better idea.

GRANDAM · January 27, 2008 3:06PM

Did you say you picked them up at a show with a gun?

Maybe I misread that?

GrandAm

slipgate · January 27, 2008 10:26PM

The real question is what did you get that was GUN related!

rgCoinGuy · January 27, 2008 10:49PM

Cool Pirate Treasure!!!

ricko · January 27, 2008 11:18PM

Which gun show?? Cheers, RickO

Weiss · January 27, 2008 11:41PM

Spanish silver coinage was used frequently in America from the colonial era until the mid-1800s. I believe it was actually legal tender in the US until the Coinage Act of February 21, 1857.

This is one of the reasons that Spanish coinage like the examples you have are found with regularity by metal detectorists in mid-19th century locations--particularly civil war sites.

AskRaq · January 28, 2008 3:32AM

Ahhh.... The "SunCoast Gun Show" in Palmetto, FL ~ It was advertised as having "Guns, Knives, Supplies & Collectibles.... har-dee-har-har.... (I ended up letting my boyfriend drag me there because I saw some previous threads about coins at Gun Shows.

Welllllllllll, we got there on Sunday with only 2 hours remaining... (BTW - too bad Coin Shows in the area aren't as popular & busy!!) & I saw ONE Morgan, ONE Peace dollar & the 5 worn out coins that I picked up - that was it! (Had to buy something!!)

ricko · January 28, 2008 3:59AM

At the Washington state gun shows there are usually 4-5 tables of coins...some exclusively. Cheers, RickO

AskRaq · January 28, 2008 8:41AM

So, anyone got any idea on the value....? Couldn't find any of these particular dates on eBay (or in this particulary worn condition) to compare....

olmanjon · January 29, 2008 4:40AM

Roman---Where are you??? Lord M can tell you there value.

TwoKopeiki · January 29, 2008 8:23AM

In that condition, not more than 15-20 bucks a piece.

AskRaq · January 30, 2008 12:15AM

<< <i>In that condition, not more than 15-20 bucks a piece. >>

Really? I find that quite impressive... they are definitely the oldest coins that I have acquired, although I'll likely only keep one example ~

Picked up a couple coins at the Gun Show... (Reales - BIG PICS added)

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