Help, what is it? Found 40 to 45 years ago.

rmoss

Forgive the poor quality of the photos I took them around 4 AM Monday mornig. I found this in a gravel pile when I was a kid. It seems to made of pewter. It is not silver. A half dollar is 3 1/2 lines wide on the paper.

Thanks Ron

JRC

Hi, could you please post clearer pictures? my eyes arn't what they used to be.

TwoKopeiki

Appears to be a 1736 Spanish 8 Reales cob (both dates visible). I think that's Lima mint-mark, as well (not sure, since cobs are not really my area).

EDIT: not Lima, since they already used Pillar design at that time.

JRC

It is Bolivian. Please work on the clearer pictures.

JoesMaName

You must have all missed the part about being made of pewter. If it looks Bolivian then I would guess it's a cast copy of a Bolivian 8 real. I doubt they had off metal cob strikes! I guess it could be a contemporary counterfeit, that would be interesting. Have you weighed it?

TwoKopeiki

<< <i>You must have all missed the part about being made of pewter. >>



Actually, I did miss that part. I blame it on being on-call all morning

rmoss

<< <i>You must have all missed the part about being made of pewter. If it looks Bolivian then I would guess it's a cast copy of a Bolivian 8 real. I doubt they had off metal cob strikes! I guess it could be a contemporary counterfeit, that would be interesting. Have you weighed it? >>



Not been weighed. I don't have a digital scale here at the house and have been out of work for a month with my back. I will try for a little better pics though.

It's amazing the information one can get off these boards. Thanks all. A little extra information. I live about 40 mile from Rutherfordton (sp) NC. The coin was found in a pile of gravel the state had piled on a vacant lot for road paving. No telling where the gravel came from. I seem to remember reading somewhere once upon a time that some gold coins similar to this were struck by the Belchers in North Carolina back in the gold days. I know I am dreaming about possibilities, but we all hope for a good find at least once.

rmoss

I took some more pics, but this is about as good as I can do with my limited knowledge of photography and a Fuji A303 camera.

Edited to add: The bronze color came from an incadescent 40w bulb.

WillieBoyd2

It could be a replica sold then.

I have a replica Pillar Dollar which I bought from the Johnson Smith company in the early 1960's.

rmoss

Thank all of you for sharing your knowledge. It is much appreciated.

Ron

CIVITAS

It's a modern day reproduction of a cob 8 escudos. Some of these were actually marketed by Disney in their Pirates of the Caribbean gift shop. You usually see these gold washed/plated.