Help with Die Variety ...Krause's Book Anyone?

[Neil in West Jersey]

Not a cob, I know, but I hope someone here can help. I dug this coin last week. I thought it was a common Mexico City Ferdinand VII 1/2 Reale, until I noticed the obvious die error on the "V" in VII. Can anyone check to see if there is a variety noted in the Krause World Coin catalog with a counterpunched V? It does not appear to be an altered V.

[Iron Patch]

Just hit me now I didn't go back to your message, which I meant to do.


No special listing in Krause and that's what I expected because it's pretty minor. I think a lot of coins have little things like that going on.

[Neil in West Jersey]

Just hit me now I didn't go back to your message, which I meant to do.


No special listing in Krause and that's what I expected because it's pretty minor. I think a lot of coins have little things like that going on.

Thanks for the quick response! :P

I thought that's what you would say it is minor. Thanks!

[Iron Patch]

Just hit me now I didn't go back to your message, which I meant to do.


No special listing in Krause and that's what I expected because it's pretty minor. I think a lot of coins have little things like that going on.

Thanks for the quick response! :P

You get what you pay for.

[Mackaydon]

Can you post a pic of the reverse?

[Neil in West Jersey]

Can you post a pic of the reverse?

[Mackaydon]

Neil,
Thanks for the pic !
Great looking coin--and find.
18mm, 1.7g and .896 fine silver
Series of 1814-1821
Don.....

[realeswatcher]

First, it really shouldn't really be called a "counterpunch", which would specifically suggest something like a post-strike chopmark or merchant counterstamp. Aside from that, yeah, it is something of a die or striking anomaly... Honestly, though, it's usually only the notably significant varieties that really matter in portrait reales (in terms of value) - missing/inverted/out of order letters in the legend (e.g., upside-down V for A, "IIV" instead of "VII", "CAOLUS" or (CROLUS" for "CAROLUS"). Overdates also receive attention. The collectors in this field aren't really into the precise attribution of die pairings, varieties and states the way U.S. collectors are with Large Cents, Half Dollars, Morgan VAMs, half dimes. Perhaps in the future...

[Neil in West Jersey]

First, it really shouldn't really be called a "counterpunch", which would specifically suggest something like a post-strike chopmark or merchant counterstamp. Aside from that, yeah, it is something of a die or striking anomaly... Honestly, though, it's usually only the notably significant varieties that really matter in portrait reales (in terms of value) - missing/inverted/out of order letters in the legend (e.g., upside-down V for A, "IIV" instead of "VII", "CAOLUS" or (CROLUS" for "CAROLUS"). Overdates also receive attention. The collectors in this field aren't really into the precise attribution of die pairings, varieties and states the way U.S. collectors are with Large Cents, Half Dollars, Morgan VAMs, half dimes. Perhaps in the future...

I found that out when I dug a "rare" half reale variety a few summers back. It is a transitional IV over III...less than a dozen known, but relatively low value.