Bust and seated coins from South America

Baley

I'll put up some more pics and discussion of these on the appropriate darkside forum, but here's just a few NPs from my trip to Peru, apperently authentic old coins obtained at street markets, from the time that country also used bust and seated designs:





I looked a lot of these coins offered, noticed that as with early US coinage, the smaller coins apparently circulated more than larger coins, and suffered more mutilation due to holes, scratches and other test marks, and corrosion. Also, there were a few cob pieces seen, couldn't make a deal on one of those though, to my regret as I now think about it, I could have gone a little higher on a clean triangle bit, now I wish I had it for another few soles

1jester

Baley, that's some COOL Darkside stuff!!! Congrats on your excellent finds!

Bruce

Ah yes, gotta love the darkside stuff. Opens a whole new collecting world up.

sinin1

I hate to sound pessimistic, but how can you tell when (what year) those things were produced?

I am skeptical that coins like that have been around for over 200 years and have been traded at street corners over the years.

cosmicdebris

Nice coins Baley.

Bailathacl

I got an equally nice Carlos III 2 Reales <Mexico City mintmark> from a flea market table in Madrid back in 1989. For older nations, coins from the late 1700's aren't that big a deal, and it's reflected in the prices charged. To U.S. collector sensibilities, the stuff seems incredibly old.

TRADERBOBZ

Sin asks"how can you tell when those things where produced"?
the answer is 1773..1784...1790...1907. very nice design Baley.

ponzi187

Nice job!
What did they charge you for things this old? If you don't mind me asking.

Baley

thanks guys, thought you'd like em, they cost about $30 for the 2 real, $15 for the 1 real, and less than $10 apiece for the half reals. the later seated design coins were just a little over melt. the largest silver dollar size one sol coin is .500 fine, and is dated 1926.

sinin, I'm pretty sure they're authentic, didn't see any reproductions offered while i was down there, just lots and lots of obsolete but genuine coins and currency from the more recent years (they've had bad inflation) lesser quantities of the early 20th century coins, and relatively few examples of the spanish coinage, usually holed or otherwise mutilated, and always, the merchants who had some had a few tucked away and only brought them out when I inquired if "tiene monedas mas viejas?" and they were all different and pretty obviously not fake, just not usually in very good condition. these were the best I could find, If i didn't mind holes I could have brought back 10 times as many examples.

roadrunner

Baley, I thought I was fortunate back around 1988 to locate a little hoard of 1892 silver 1/2 dinos (half dime size or so) which is identical to your the seated design in your thread. The dealer had 20 of them and all were superb originally toned gems. At $12 a piece I think they were a good deal. They would all grade from 66 to 67 today (possibly some 68's). Most have monstrous color and pizzaz. Also semi-p/l. They must be somewhat common if this dealer had 20 of the pieces. I bought 10 and my friend bought 10.

If a Barber dime from 1892 were like these it would be probably be
$3000. I sent one of the typical ones in to NGC back in the early 90's just to see what they would do. It came back MS66. The other 19 still remain in their 2x2's.

roadrunner

coinrookie

The Peruvian seated material is amazing. I have some proof like 1/2 and 1 dinero`s. All gem quality. Considering the prices these are a true treasure. They arev every bit as attractive as Seated US material.
Steve

Askari

Congratulations, Baley!! You snared some wonderful old pieces!!



<< <i>I am skeptical that coins like that have been around for over 200 years and have been traded at street corners over the years. >>

A good question, Sinin! Basically, you have to understand that these "street malls" are the forerunner of our modern "strip malls" and big shopping malls. The big difference is really more that we're more comfortable with "take-it-or-leave-it" price tags on our merchandise, rather than the more universal art of haggling. If you can safely navigate the shoals of eBay and appreciate its risks, then you have the "basic training" for buying coins anywhere.

Counterfeits do occur, but just as with counterfeits of US coins, this is done more with rarer, pricier, and usually high-grade coins. There's more of a problem in South America with cleaned and polished coins than counterfeits. If you plan an overseas trip, drop over to the Dark Side and ask what to look for and what to look out for in that country regarding its coinage. It also wouldn't hurt to visit your local library beforehand and see if it doesn't have the Krause catalogs for world coinage and browse that nation's offerings to see what catches your collector's eye and become generally familiar with prices and such. As is true wherever you go, the informed buyer is the more successful buyer.

Spinynorman

Nice coins, Baley. I'd love to make that trip someday myself. Did you know that the 1926 Sol was struck at the Philadelphia mint?

Baley

Did you know that the 1926 Sol was struck at the Philadelphia mint?

-no I did not! that is very interesting, I knew that we struck coins for the Phillipines and some others, as listed in the redbook, but didn't know about the Peru work.

roadrunner and coinrookie, I would like to see some images of you gem dinos or dineros, if you don't hav an image just send me the real coin

dorkkarl

how come there are bust coin, standing coins, seated coins, but never any "lying down" coins? or standing-on-her-head coins???

K S

Askari

Actually, there is a "lying down" coin ... maybe someone has a pic of Goya's Maja.