Home› World & Ancient Coins Forum

New Addition to my Latin crown collection: 1846-GJ Ecuador 8 Reales

BoosibriBoosibri Posts: 12,255 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited June 3, 2021 11:51AM in World & Ancient Coins Forum

I recently was able to acquire another notable Latin American crown thanks to MrE.

The 1846 Ecuador 8 Reales is the only 8 Reales produced by Ecuador with a scant mintage of 1386. The period of time surrounding its production was one of the most turbulent in the countries history following the death of Sucre and Bolivar in the 1830's, the dissolution of the Gran Colombia vision and a Marxist revolution in 1845 which saw the nations first president, Juan Jose Flores exiled to Spain. Over the next 15 years the tumult continued with coup's, war with Peru, and a severe earthquake in 1859 which left the Quito mint out of commission until 1861.

Silver and precious metals were scare in Ecuador, unlike the wealth of Peru and Bolivia. As such, Ecuador relied on the countries surrounding it for precious metals and small circulating coins. It is no wonder that the 1846 8 Reales is a one-year type given the tumultuous political environment and the lack of circulating coins. Large denomination Ecuadorian coins would have been impractical to produce in mass quantities when small coinage needs were high, and the Spanish Colonial 8 Reales would have been abundant.

The piece below is the finest documented 1846-GJ 8 Reales. It traces its history from Lissner (2014) to Louis Collins (perhaps FPL 14 March 1978). I originally thought the piece traced to the the Michael Anderson collection sold by Glendinings in 1977. Anderson was the foremost author on Ecuadorian coins with his work "A Numismatic History of Ecuador" his paramount work. Sadly, Anderson passed away in April of 2021. Prior to Anderson, the coin was in a Stacks "Gold Coins and Crowns of the World" sale in 1970 and a part of the Clifford Smith collection also sold by Stacks in 1955. In reviewing the plates with the catalog that arrived today (6/3), the Anderson piece is the ex. Millenia MS64. Combing through past sales, Virgil Brand (Schulman 1964) had a magnificent proof and the incredible John Story Jenks sale by Chapman in 1921 also had a "Brilliant Proof". Unfortunately, neither sale plated the coin. I still need to check Peltzer, Salbach, Bergsoe and a few others but at the time of those sales, little was known or appreciated about this rare crown and it is unlikely to have been plated.

The coin itself is proof like and was difficult to photograph so as to capture the vibrant color and PL surfaces.


Latin American Collection

Comments

Sign In or Register to comment.