Strange but true!

[dirtfisher1127]

I know this story is going to sound too weird to be true, but you have my word that it happened exactly as I am about to relate it!

I finally got permission to hunt a pasture field next to an 1850's home a couple of years back. There was no sign of any building foundations or significant structures of any kind--just open pasture.
I was hoping for some spillover relics from the old house next door, although it was about a quarter of a mile away--O.K..........I am an optimist!
In any event, I parked my car at the gate and crossed the fence into the field. The fence was only about ten feet from a major thoroughfare, but I turned my detector on anyway and proceeded to ground balance it. I can't recall if I laid the coil directly over this object when I tried to ground balance, or I got a strong "hit" immediately after ground balancing, but I dug the object from about 4 inches down and found this object (see photo 1) I looked around the area for quite a while, but with only a few non-productive signals.

I then proceeded to search the field for the rest of the afternoon and came up with one item--a standing liberty quarter. As it was getting late, I hunted back towards the car. When I approached the gate I remembered the location of the cob--five fenceposts down from the gate. I made a final quick sweep of the area and BAM! another silver signal. You guessed it--(see photo 2)
It wasn't until I got home and rinsed the dirt off these two pieces that I actually realized what I had found--(see photos 3 & 4)
How or why they got there is anybody's guess, but I'm not complaining!
Aside from the fact that I know this is a cob cut into two pieces, I know almost nothing about these items. If anyone could educate me as to a possible date and origin of these pieces, I would love it! Thanks so much.

[stevemc]

Mexico city mint, and looks like a 4 or 8 reale. Hard to tell what date. Obviously prior to 1716 or so. What is the weight in grams? And very nice find!

[dirtfisher1127]

Mexico city mint, and looks like a 4 or 8 reale. Hard to tell what date. Obviously prior to 1716 or so. What is the weight in grams? And very nice find!

Thank you so much for all the info. I'll have to get back to you on the weight.

[realeswatcher]

Cool piece! I guess it must have gotten hit by some farm equipment? Either that, or it was chopped in olden times and there's a good story as to how the two halves ended up in the field!

Yes, it's a Mexico cob, from the 1702-14 range (no earlier, note the Bourbon/Borbon fleur-de-lis center escutcheon... and no later, from other design elements in the shield). That size is borderline for a 4 or an 8 Reales. You don't need exact weight to verify - taken together, is the piece more similar to the heft of a half dollar (would be a 4R), or that of a full silver dollar (would be 8R)??

[dirtfisher1127]

Mexico city mint, and looks like a 4 or 8 reale. Hard to tell what date. Obviously prior to 1716 or so. What is the weight in grams? And very nice find!

Thank you, stevemc...finally found my scale--the two halves weigh 24.3 grams together.

[dirtfisher1127]

Cool piece! I guess it must have gotten hit by some farm equipment? Either that, or it was chopped in olden times and there's a good story as to how the two halves ended up in the field!

Yes, it's a Mexico cob, from the 1702-14 range (no earlier, note the Bourbon/Borbon fleur-de-lis center escutcheon... and no later, from other design elements in the shield). That size is borderline for a 4 or an 8 Reales. You don't need exact weight to verify - taken together, is the piece more similar to the heft of a half dollar (would be a 4R), or that of a full silver dollar (would be 8R)??

I really appreciate all the information, realeswatcher......the two halves together weigh 24.3 grams, so i'm guessing 4 reales. I think the piece was definitely cut in half to make change, but if so, why would they be found together? Maybe someone didn't get their change! Thanks again!

[Mackaydon]

If the two halves weigh a total of 24+ grams, then (originally) it was an 8R of about 27.5 grams.

[dirtfisher1127]

If the two halves weigh a total of 24+ grams, then (originally) it was an 8R of about 27.5 grams.

Thanks, Mackaydon! I wasn't sure how many grams made up which denomination! That's good news--an 8 reale instead of a 4! Appreciate your help! Jack.