Thoughts on this error / variety...

TwoKopeiki

Just received my Aureo win from a few months ago and it does look like some kind of weird error or die damage. Please see photos of the assayer initials below and what i think could have been a "T" punched in error, repaired, and the correct "F" placed over it. Looking at the T in "ET IND" and superimposing it over the area in question it does align to the length of the horizontal bar and location of the vertical one (see the animated GIF).

What do you think? Repaired die sinker error? Just a die scratch?

Insider2

Looks like the engraver picked up a "T" first, then corrected it with the "F." Since it is raised IMO it has nothing to do with the "T" on the obverse.

giorgio11

I smell a cover-up ...

Kind regards,

George

Abuelo

For sure an odd looking F. Now to look if the same pattern is seen on other examples.

TwoKopeiki

Here's another reason I think it was a reworked "T" - it looks similar to a few other re-worked "T"s, as in the case of known over-assayer examples when TH reverse dies were updated with HJ assayer initials.

MrEureka

@Insider2 said:
Looks like the engraver picked up a "T" first, then corrected it with the "F." Since it is raised IMO it has nothing to do with the "T" on the obverse.

Except that both T's likely came from the same die punch.

OriginalDan

I'm really torn on this one. It looks like more of a die chip to me, but that location is just too coincidental.

TwoKopeiki

@OriginalDan said:
I'm really torn on this one. It looks like more of a die chip to me, but that location is just too coincidental.

Ditto. I'm leaning more towards a chip, as well. Still a neat variety and a new one for me, which in itself is pretty cool since I try to monitor all Mexico 8 Reales auction / sales daily and have been for the last few years.

Insider2

Lucky for us that the reference books got it correct!

TwoKopeiki

So, i threw this one in the desk 2+ years ago and forgot about it until a few months ago. Not sure what the envelope came in contact with, but it did develop some ugly splotchy reverse toning. Decided to include it as part of my NGC submission anyway and glad I did. Very surprised by the result, but not going to complain since it's the first of it's kind. At least until another example of this die is found. 0 chances of this one ever crossing into a straight holder on this side of the street, imo.