Cob id ??

[trainermick]

I went detecting in Florida along the treasure coast several years ago in search of a cob or two. I didn't find any or so I thought. I put all of my targets in a jar and forgot about them, thinking that all I had was a bunch of modern coins. Imagine my surprise when I decided to finally clean up those finds and came across this cob. I don't even know what beach it came from. Here it is after electrolysis. The other side is worn smooth. It is the size of a 1/2 reale. Any ideas

[Mackaydon]

Finding a cob of any denomination is a great find.
Welcome to Treasure Net !!

[trainermick]

Thanks for the welcome. I feel like an idiot though. I have been detecting since 1979 and specialize in war of 1812 relics and should have known when I found it as I have found several reales in the past. At the time it looked like just another black encrusted silver coin. I'm thinking that it may have come from a beach near Wabbaso but couldn't tell you if it came from near the dunes or the water-line. DUH !!!!

[armchairQB30]

Lets see some 1812 stuff!!!!!!!!!!!

[trainermick]

Here are some of my reales found at war of 1812 sites up here in Canada. I put the cob in the lower left corner.

[divewrecks]

Detail is surprisingly good for a beach find. Your saying there is no detail at all on the other side? Hard to believe with the strike on the pictured side looking so good. Neat find.

Stan

[Iron Patch]

Hey there stranger, good looking coins.


Dirty Money

[trainermick]

Hi Divewrecks, to tell the truth, I have no idea if it even came off of the beach. It was in a jar of stuff that I found in Florida quite a while ago. I just threw everything that I found on that trip in a large mason jar and packed it away with the plan of cleaning it all up sometime in the future. Must have thought that it was just another encrusted dime at the time. That was close to 20 years ago and I just decided to check out the jar a few years ago.
Hello to you too Iron Patch......pretty dumb eh ? I probably have thrown out a few good buttons over the years, not realizing what I had.

[Iron Patch]

Hi Divewrecks, to tell the truth, I have no idea if it even came off of the beach. It was in a jar of stuff that I found in Florida quite a while ago. I just threw everything that I found on that trip in a large mason jar and packed it away with the plan of cleaning it all up sometime in the future. Must have thought that it was just another encrusted dime at the time. That was close to 20 years ago and I just decided to check out the jar a few years ago.
Hello to you too Iron Patch......pretty dumb eh ? I probably have thrown out a few good buttons over the years, not realizing what I had.

Well I don't think you would have thrown out too many buttons. Did you happen to hang on to the gold coin or did it get tossed?

[trainermick]

Still got that one plus 2 others although not that old.

[divewrecks]

Thanks, I'm guessing maybe it was an inland find rather than beach. By the way, it was minted in Mexico....Stan

[divewrecks]

Also, the "IA" you see on the coin is part of a legend giving title to the king of Spain "EI GRATIA HISPANIARVM ET INDIARVM REX" which translates to "By the grace of God, King of Spain and the Indies". Obviously this legend wouldn't fit on an eight reale coin, much less a little 1/2 or 1 reale, so the legend was abbreviated in many different forms....

Stan

[trainermick]

Thanks Stan for the info. It did have exposure to salt water at some point and it was encrusted and dark black. I did do some inland detecting as well as the beaches, so who knows ?
Thanks again, this forum is great !!

[Iron Patch]

Thanks Stan for the info. It did have exposure to salt water at some point and it was encrusted and dark black. I did do some inland detecting as well as the beaches, so who knows ?
Thanks again, this forum is great !!

Yep, much better than that Cladadian Communist site.

[HISPAN]

nice coin made of Zaragoza (a one city of Spain).I can not tell which coin is accurate, but if the type manufactured in Zaragoza during the 17th century......

The antiquity and significance of the four heads are represented on this coin is what raises the most controversy in the history of Spanish coins.
While some portray him as the four kings of antiquity, similar to many other towns and cities in Spain.

"Modern" interpretations (from the fourteenth century) is treated as supernatural aid of St George in the conquest of Huesca (city Spain), and heads would no longer be of ancient kings but kings Moors (Arabs Zaragoza).
The oldest sample of the use of four heads in the Crown of Aragon is a seal of King Pedro III of 1281. It is believed that alludes to the legendary battle of Alcoraz, in the eleventh century, in which King Pedro I won the city of Huesca, in which appeared the very same St. George and a German gentleman rescued from Antioch by the saint.

Type of Coin: Real (type 1)
Mint: ZARAGOZA (spain)17 century
obverse: G PHILIPPVS II DEI about a crowned shield of Aragon
back: ARAGONVM REX , around a shield with 4 heads

[trainermick]

??
I don't uderstand the above post. However, having said that, "divewrecks" can you give me an approx. date on my cob ?

[divewrecks]

??
I don't uderstand the above post. However, having said that, "divewrecks" can you give me an approx. date on my cob ?

Can you make out anything on the other side? Otherwise the range will be very broad....

Stan

[Mackaydon]

I'd give it a range of between 1526 and 1724.

[divewrecks]

Mac, I think you must have meant 1536 since that was when the Mexican mint started production, and I identify it as Mexican because of the "balls" at the cross ends. The particular style he has with the quartered castles and lions didn't begin until 1572 though and would continue through 1732 when the transition to milled coins took place. There could be clues to further hone in on a date range though.....

Stan

[trainermick]

Here is a pic of the reverse. Not any clues here as it is pitted and I can't make out any detail.