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Mexico 1884Zs 8 Reale Counterfeit?

Picked this coin up from the 'bay and was a little surprised with it when it turned up. The coin is an even flat goldish colour all over, it's not particularly lustrous and doesn't appear to be gold plated. Mass is correct, so is this toning or something else?

image

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Comments

  • pruebaspruebas Posts: 4,301 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It's probably toning, but you could try some acetone on the edge (using a Q-tip) and see what comes off.
  • WWWWWW Posts: 2,609 ✭✭✭
    That coin looks wrong, and I don't mean the color. I never heard of I S as an assayer for the Zacatecas mint, and there are missing dots after the 8R and Zs.
    You are probably looking at a counterfeit piece of some sort. Or, I could be waaaaaaay off, and if so, my apologies.
  • pruebaspruebas Posts: 4,301 ✭✭✭✭✭
    After seeing WWW's post, I went and looked at the post and photo on my computer (I had replied from my phone before, so I could not see the photo well). Yes, indeed, it looks way bad. The cap, rays, lettering. Look at the "s" in the mintmark.

    And I think the reason for the "IS" assayer is that on a real coin of that date and mint, the assayer is "JS," but the "J" often looks like an "I" because of the short tail. The counterfeiter must have mistaken it for an "I" when he produced the fake.
  • mnemtsas2mnemtsas2 Posts: 745 ✭✭✭
    Ooooo image A counterfeit would be cool, any experts want to chime in on this piece? I just buy these 8R's up off of the Australian Ebay out of habit (there are hardly any ever listed) and to get a counterfeit would be very exciting!
    Successful trades with Syracusian, DeiGratia, LordM, WWW, theboz11, CCC2010, Hyperion, ajaan, wybrit, Dennis88 and many others.
  • pruebaspruebas Posts: 4,301 ✭✭✭✭✭
    A contemporary counterfeit would be a keeper if the price was not too high. But a Chinese counterfeit, no. I don't know which this one is.
  • CIVITASCIVITAS Posts: 2,256 ✭✭✭
    Looks Chinese to me.

    There appears to be a slightly raised lip at the rim on the obverse. Genuine coins were not struck with a collar. I doubt their contemporary counterfeits would have been either.

    The fabric of the piece also matches that of many Chinese counterfeit of world crowns that I have seen.
    image
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  • mnemtsas2mnemtsas2 Posts: 745 ✭✭✭
    Yes, I've had it looked at by that redoubtable 8R counterfeit expert Swamperbob and he's pinned it down as a modern fake minted probably pre 1985. Oh well, I like it and will hold onto it as a reminder of how I should do my homework a little better.
    Successful trades with Syracusian, DeiGratia, LordM, WWW, theboz11, CCC2010, Hyperion, ajaan, wybrit, Dennis88 and many others.
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