Pieces of Eight - Authentic or reproduction?
Windycity
Posts: 3,470 ✭✭✭✭✭
Here are images of what I believe to be an authentic Pieces of Eight but I would like the opinion of the experts at this forum. Coin is silver and I can see no evidence of being cast. Welcome opinions.
<a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.mullencoins.com">Mullen Coins Website - Windycity Coin website
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Comments
I'm sure @realeswatcher can offer an opinion based on looks alone.
Just out of curiosity, how do you know "it's silver" and do you know what percentage of silver is in the alloy?
Looks OK to me.
Looks genuine, from Mexico
I personally cringe at the pirate parrot parlance in general... but it is a notable part of their story. More numismatically speaking, denomination looks to be 8 Reales from the design dimensions. Weight should be close to 27g (no apparent clipping or excessive environmental effects) - is that correct, mullencoins?
Note that both sides are shown upside-down.
Mexico as noted, and I concur that it looks legit (not cast, etc.). 1714-25 by shield design... surfaces look more land hoard than 1715 Fleet recovery.
Frankly a rather poor strike overall. Sloppy shield doubling, soft cross side and zero peripheral design made it on (not even any bit of mintmark, assayer or denom.).
Yes, scientific testing consisting of checking specific gravity on a lab scale accurate to 17 decimal places plus desktop XRF that shows every trace element with at least .0001 presence would be more conclusive proof. Of course, sometimes experience and common sense can sometimes be applied...
Weight is 25.7 grams.
25.7g is a tad light, but certainly not a dealbreaker for a later-period Mexican cob 8R (a good bit of as-made variance is observed in this era... and even if not overtly clipped, some surreptitious contemporary shaving is always possible) that shows some environmental impact.
Even though not a great example, certainly a good study piece - EVERY cob is a good study piece.
Correct orientation:
Thanks!!
Dan Sedwick will also provide a valuable opinion, without the condescension.