Mexican COPPER 8 Reales?????

danglen

Came across this piece in a lot of Darkside coppers. I can find no mention of a copper 8 Reales ever being produced, but it sure looks like it has been well circulated Mexico City mint, T.H. mintmaster, Carolus IIII, no visible date. Richard Long called it a contemporary counterfeit, but who would have accepted it since it is plainly made of copper? Enquiring minds want to know.... Please share your theories

WillieBoyd2

It might have been originally painted or silver plated.

lordmarcovan

What he said. Probably plated, originally.

A lot of the 18th and 19th century buttons I find with my detector will come out of the ground looking like plain copper or brass buttons, even though they were obviously plated at one time. Many bear backmarks saying "GILT". So it's possible that was silver- or tin-plated, and then it lost its plating after being buried for a time.

Neat contemporary counterfeit!

GDJMSP

I would agree with the contemporary counterfeit. I also think the marks on the obverse were likely test marks.