1869 Spain 2 Pesetas, what are your thoughts?

mercurydimeguy

Hi, bought this from bad photos in an Italian auction for about $120 USD, thought it was worth a shot. These coins in better condition are hard to come buy...anyhow, you think this lady will grade? The strike on these is kind of weird, the reverse is somewhat PL and looks UNC, obverse looks AU'ish...or is it flat strike? Seems like a slider if it grades. What are your thoughts?

Boosibri

Very nice, either AU58 or MS62. Tough to tell if this is rub or weak strike as you note.

lordmarcovan

That has nice clean surfaces. It's a Choice AU; that's wear on the head and left breast of the female figure. I'd say AU55-58. I'd say it's a decent slider, as you suspected.



What's the "secret" date inside the right-hand six-pointed star? (68) or (69)?



Both of the series-1869 coins go $200+ in XF, and $450-500 in UNC, so it seems you did pretty well vis-a-vis catalog price, regardless.



That date inside the star would be the actual date of striking. The big "1869" in the exergue is more like a "series" date one sees on US currency. I can't quite make this coin's "secret" date out in the pictures.



These two-digit dates inside the stars are a feature of Spanish coins up into the 20th century.

LochNESS

Lovely coin I'd happily add to my pile. Looks like rub to me.



Today's word of the day is: exergue

mercurydimeguy

It says 69 in the right star



Thank you for your input. I'm learning ...



Have a new batch of coins going in next week so I will submit it, let you know.



Thank you!

lordmarcovan

Oh, good. Then it truly was struck in 1869 and fits your 1869 set perfectly.



Nessie- "exergue" is one of those twenty-dollar words one accidentally absorbs when hanging around Ancient coin collectors for any amount of time, though I think I must have added it to the vocabulary when collecting post-1860 British large pennies.



Of course the distinguishing characteristic between US Type 1 and Type 2 Buffalo nickels also happens to be an exergue.

asheland

brg5658

I'd grade it AU53 or AU55. There is too much wear on the breast, head, and arm to merit an AU58/MS62 "slider" type grade.



Nice design and coin.

marcmoish

I'd grade it AU53 or AU55. There is too much wear on the breast, head, and arm to merit an AU58/MS62 "slider" type grade.



Nice design and coin.



absolutely agree - depending on fields in hand I might venture 55-58 but def NOT an MS piece here.