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How to spot a FAKE Spanish Colonial 8 Reales...

OchoRealesOchoReales Posts: 1,500 ✭
in World & Ancient Coins Forum
http://cgi.ebay.com/SPAIN-COLONIAL-BOLIVIA-POTOSI-8-REALES-1777-PR-COIN-/170615400520?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27b9786848

What makes this coin bad, you ask? Good question! First, experience (and lots)! Second, the color, look AND surfaces (including the denticles)are suspicious. Third, moving from #2, there are small raised bumps (probably from casting ((when a real coin is used to make the fakes from)) ) on both the Obverse and Reverse.

Is that enough to say with surety, FAKE?!? When buying from pictures, it is DEFINATELY enough to make a potential buyer with less experience to RUN!
Lurker since '02. Got the seven year itch!

Gary

Comments

  • FilthyBrokeFilthyBroke Posts: 3,518


    Here's a Link.

    That one looks silvered, but besides that I wouldn't have known there was a problem with it.
  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,512 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It would have raised some small red flags with me, from the color and just the look of the devices.

    But not big ones. It might have slipped by me, I must admit, if I weren't paying close attention. Who's to say if it would have got me, had you not pointed it out. Maybe, maybe not. Depends on how vigilant I was at that moment.

    Not that I was shopping for 8R pieces or anything.

    Has anyone contacted the seller, or eBay? I see it now has a bid and is at $89.

    Explore collections of lordmarcovan on CollecOnline, management, safe-keeping, sharing and valuation solution for art piece and collectibles.
  • ZoharZohar Posts: 6,636 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Image is here:

    image
    Habsburg Talers
    Taler Custom Set
    Ancient Custom Set


  • WWWWWW Posts: 2,609 ✭✭✭
    PU58
  • HussuloHussulo Posts: 2,953 ✭✭✭
    PU58

    image
    CoinsGB (Free British coin reference website) | Gold Sovereigns
  • TwoKopeikiTwoKopeiki Posts: 9,661 ✭✭✭✭✭
    How to spot a fake 8 Reales?

    To echo your comments: weight (including specific gravity), edge, dentils, surface, design elements.

    If any of those are "off" - it's a suspect.
    If more than 1 - most likely a fake.

    8 Reales Madness Collection
  • ormandhormandh Posts: 3,111 ✭✭✭
    The surface color of this coin is WAY off. Also, the contrast of the strikes for the bust and the lettering offer a little bit of insight. Pay close attention to the lettering as opposed to the bust details, particularly paying attention to the hair of the bust. But, overall, the surface color of this coin is totally wrong. It has more of a dull, white medal look to it. -Dan
    Numismasource ebay store
  • IloiloKanoIloiloKano Posts: 1,051
    I would yield to your expertise, Ocho. However, in my collectable area raised bumps can be due to rusty dies if they were minted at the US Mint in Manila. Rusty dies happened more than one might expect, since my coins come from the hot, humid, sea-air climate of the Philippine Islands. The Manila mint opened in 1920, and they didn't take real good care of the dies there.
    My US-PI One Centavo Circulation Strikes (1903-1944)
  • OchoRealesOchoReales Posts: 1,500 ✭
    Hi Steve, from the pics., these bumps are NOT due to rust. Too much going wrong for the coin to take a chance. I own several Potosi 8 Reales with die rust as well. The coin raises suspicions but without seeing it in hand, I'm certainly not a player.
    Lurker since '02. Got the seven year itch!

    Gary
  • stealerstealer Posts: 3,988 ✭✭✭✭
    Is an uneven strike between the bust and lettering a good enough indicator that a coin is fake?
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