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Proposed: SPANISH MILLED COINAGE CLASSIC VARIETY TYPE SET (1732-1821)

AngryDragonAngryDragon Posts: 65 ✭✭✭
edited November 28, 2022 8:03PM in World & Ancient Coins Forum

The set that I am proposing builds upon the SPANISH MILLED COINAGE BASIC SET (1732-1772) and wondering if there is any community support for it before a formal request is made.

The set is mostly comprised of Mexican silver coins 1/2R - 8R (or other Spanish Colonial mints equivalent) KM-65 through KM-111 as depicted in Krause Publications Standard Catalog of World Coins 1701-1800 and 1801-1900.  

I'd like to discuss small additions to this specification to include such issues as Guatemala Ferdinand VII coinage with the bust of Carlos IV.

Your thoughts

Comments

  • BoosibriBoosibri Posts: 11,841 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I think the organizing principle is important. I could get behind a date set of Spanish Colonial pieces from a specific mint, all mints (regardless of how impossible that is), or even a specific ruler. I couldn't get behind a set which was a hodge podge of issues without a clear organizing principle.

  • TwoKopeikiTwoKopeiki Posts: 9,528 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Hey Angry Dragon, great seeing you on the forums.

    Are you suggesting to include the Guatemala 8R as part of the current 8 Reales slot (should be already and if not, makes a lot of sense), or a completely separate slot? It wouldn't make a lot of sense to have a separate slot, in my opinion. Having said that, I think there are other Spanish colonial sets that should include that bust variety. @Boosibri didn't you get a portrait variety set stood up at some point that included different Ferdinand VII bust depictions?

  • BoosibriBoosibri Posts: 11,841 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @TwoKopeiki said:
    Hey Angry Dragon, great seeing you on the forums.

    Are you suggesting to include the Guatemala 8R as part of the current 8 Reales slot (should be already and if not, makes a lot of sense), or a completely separate slot? It wouldn't make a lot of sense to have a separate slot, in my opinion. Having said that, I think there are other Spanish colonial sets that should include that bust variety. @Boosibri didn't you get a portrait variety set stood up at some point that included different Ferdinand VII bust depictions?

    I sure did: https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/mysetregistry/setcomposite/6320

  • @Boosibri said:
    "... I couldn't get behind a set which was a hodge podge of issues without a clear organizing principle."

    BB, I agree. As a result, I feel that I should offer further explanation.

    The kind of set I have envisioned is a type set of 1/2, 1, 2, 4, and 8 Reales for the entire Mexican Spanish Colonial milled silver coinage of Philip V, Ferdinand VI, Charles III, Charles IV, and Ferdinand VII. It would include major design changes between 1732 and 1821 for both pillar and portrait (bust) issues for these denominations. Each slot in the set would be represented by its associated KM number.

    Does this provide a more coherent organizing principle?

  • BoosibriBoosibri Posts: 11,841 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Sure does! I was basically doing that set for many years before choosing to refocus on 8Rs.

  • SimonWSimonW Posts: 608 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 29, 2022 9:13AM

    Across the road they have a pillar type set. It includes one of every denomination, from each mint (Bolivia, Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Columbia and Chile) works out to be 25 coins or so. I think its a great set, similar kinds of sets are needed, One of the things that limits collecting of these coins is the scarcity encountered, so most people are going to avoid collecting a set of Guatemalan 1/2 pillar reales. Even getting a single problem free example is a challenge.

    A type set like you describe seems like a decent idea, it’s a huge number of coins though, when you include the different kings.

    I'm BACK!!! Used to be Billet7 on the old forum.

  • @Boosibri said:
    Sure does! I was basically doing that set for many years before choosing to refocus on 8Rs.

    So, is this a common way those interested in this series tend to collect and would a registry set provide a useful format to facilitate these collectors? Existing registry sets tend to be for date runs and mostly 8 Reales.

    I think that the proposed type set provides a big step forward and a significant challenge from the Spanish Colonial 5-Coin Basic set. It would only be worth it if others participated in the endeavor.

  • BoosibriBoosibri Posts: 11,841 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Agree, I started doing that set because I didn't see others doing it and liked the type set approach for the different designs.

    If you put the specifics together for the set and want feedback let me know!

  • BoosibriBoosibri Posts: 11,841 ✭✭✭✭✭

    My advice is the less esoteric the better. Avoid minor varieties or ultra rare varieties/sub-types which put the set as practically incompletable by the average person looking to do the set.

  • SimonWSimonW Posts: 608 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 29, 2022 4:05PM

    @Boosibri said:
    My advice is the less esoteric the better. Avoid minor varieties or ultra rare varieties/sub-types which put the set as practically incompletable by the average person looking to do the set.

    Exactly!

    While you're at it, ask them to add date sets for all the pillar minors. And other sets for cobs.

    Many of the later dates have sets already I think.

    I'm BACK!!! Used to be Billet7 on the old forum.

  • AngryDragonAngryDragon Posts: 65 ✭✭✭
    edited November 29, 2022 11:46PM

    here's the full specification of the Mexican issues

    Message me if you would like to receive these specs in CSV format

  • BoosibriBoosibri Posts: 11,841 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Curious why the inclusion of two Ferd VI issues 1747-1754-57 and 1755-57-1760. Without looking it up, I recall minor design differences but not enough to generate a new KM number.

  • WCCWCC Posts: 2,349 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @AngryDragon said:

    @Boosibri said:
    Sure does! I was basically doing that set for many years before choosing to refocus on 8Rs.

    So, is this a common way those interested in this series tend to collect and would a registry set provide a useful format to facilitate these collectors? Existing registry sets tend to be for date runs and mostly 8 Reales.

    Maybe in the US which is where registry sets are targeted. If foreign auctions are indicative, collectors of this coinage outside the US collect by date, but with limited or no regard to the coin quality. I will admit my sample size is small.

  • JohnnyCacheJohnnyCache Posts: 1,664 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 30, 2022 1:28PM

    @Boosibri said:
    Curious why the inclusion of two Ferd VI issues 1747-1754-57 and 1755-57-1760. Without looking it up, I recall minor design differences but not enough to generate a new KM number.

    Crown changes perhaps Royal to Imperial

    Edit to add There are also a number of overdates

  • JohnnyCacheJohnnyCache Posts: 1,664 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I like and support any efforts to enhance world coin collecting here at PCGS, especially when it come to Spanish colonial.

    This set would be very challenging and costly to compile even in low grades.
    It would definitely require a good bit of cross overs to make it happen.

  • WCCWCC Posts: 2,349 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @JohnnyCache said:

    @Boosibri said:
    Curious why the inclusion of two Ferd VI issues 1747-1754-57 and 1755-57-1760. Without looking it up, I recall minor design differences but not enough to generate a new KM number.

    Crown changes perhaps Royal to Imperial

    Edit to add There are also a number of overdates

    Crown change is very minor. Overdates are just die varieties. I'd limit it to one for each monarch by denomination. Most collector interest is in the 8R.

  • @JohnnyCache said:

    ...It would definitely require a good bit of cross overs to make it happen.

    My collection is split almost equally between PCGS and NGC. The only option I see at this point that allows me to combine them is a PCGS Showcase but there is no registry to participate in that permits both TPG services. The last thing I want to do is incur the expense to cross over just to participate in a registry

  • @Boosibri said:
    Curious why the inclusion of two Ferd VI issues 1747-1754-57 and 1755-57-1760. Without looking it up, I recall minor design differences but not enough to generate a new KM number.

    In the case of the change from KM86.1 to KM86.2 Brad Yonaka writes in "A Variety Guide to The Fractional Pillar Coinage of Mexico City 1732-1771" regarding 1757 2 Reales: "Imperial crown replaces royal crown on left pillar reverse. This new crown type persists on the left pillar to the end of the series. Unlike the half real and four reales denominations, the two reales imperial crown type does not change after its introduction in 1757"

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