Spanish Half Reales ?

[ScrugneysGunDogs]

Yesterday I detected my oldest finds ever. Two of them are very worn silver coins about the size of a thin (very thin) dime. I believe they are Spanish Half Reales. Can anyone tell me for sure?


Coin A (side 1)


Coin A (side 2)


Coin B (side 1)


Coin B (side 2)

This is all I have time for right now, but I'll post the rest of the story tonight.

[Mackaydon]

Welcome to Treasure Net !!
Coin B is a half real (no "1" in front of "R").
If Coin A is same weight, it too is a 1/2 R.
Coin A (side 2) also appears not to have a "1" in front of the "R".
Don..

[realeswatcher]

Yep. both 1/2 Real pieces... Not actually cobs (which were the earlier hand-cut/hand-struck "lumps"), but rather their milled successors (normal round modern coins).

Coin A: 1789 Mexico 1/2 Real. Charles IIII (though still using the portrait of the previous king, Charles III). This "transitional" type was made in 1789-90, so the visible "9" pegs it as 1789.

Coin B: Charles III Mexico 1/2 Real. Date appears to be 1786.

Not really worth anything numismatically in this condition, but definitely a piece of early American history. Nice find.

[ScrugneysGunDogs]

Awesome! Thanks for the info. I dug these coins on the front lawn of my buddy's farm. It's been a working farm since 1790! He'll be thrilled to get a piece of history from one of his earliest American ancestors!

P.S. LOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTs more ground to cover!

[ScrugneysGunDogs]

...and now, as I promised, here is the rest of the story...
http://www.egfg.org/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=1275

[divewrecks]

Very nice finds. I look forward to hearing about many more from your farm site. Maybe you will be lucky enough to find a cob. Good luck!

Stan