Mexican 1829 8 real - need help!

bronze6827

I do not collect foreign coinage, but this 8 real was left to me by my grandmother some time ago. I know "zero" about them. Any information would be welcome. I do intend to keep the coin; I really like the look. Thanks.

StrikeOutXXX

Looks like an 1829 Pi (San Luis Potosi Mint). As minted they weighed 27.07g, were .9030 silver, and had .7859oz of pure silver in it. My few year old Krause lists it as $35.00 in Fine condition, it doesn't go any lower. KM# is 377.12

It has that neat "Circulation Cameo" look to it.

TwoKopeiki

Dunigan lists this as Pi04 and calls this date scarce. In fact, it's listed as the second scarcest date of the 1828-1841 period. Check the last digit for an overdate (9 over inverted 9). That overdate is very rare. Also, it's mentioned that this year normally comes in Fine to Very Fine, so yours is actually in a great shape for the date.

Nice coin!

Edited to add: the Cap side has a few rays that do not match to the plate in Dunigan. Just to be sure, can you post the closer images of the coin, as well as weight and description of the edge?

bronze6827

Thanks for the information. I weighed it today at 26.735g. the edge looks kind of like a minature tire track withonly two rows of tread.

Can anyone tell me what the "D" with raised S and the "G" with raised S mean on the date side? The "G" has a heck of a die crack through it which seems to run up through the S and stop when it gets to the rays.

I can't detect any hint of overdating on the 9.

Unfortunately I can't do any better with my camera, or I'd get some better pictures. Thanks again for any help.

StrikeOutXXX

This was borrowed from wikipedia for the legend:

denomination- -mintmark- -date- -assayer's initials- 10 Ds. 20 Gs."

Mexico used the medieval system of dineros and granos to measure the fineness of their coins, twelve dineros designating pure silver with each dinero divided into 24 granos. A coin of 10 Ds. 20 Gs equated to .902777 fine. (Krause I guess rounded up to .903)



The J.S. for the Assayer was Juan Sanabria