1786 Spanish reales

[hikermike]

I almost didn't go detecting today. With only two hours of daylight left, I wondered if it would be
worth it. Sure glad I did!! This site has produced several indian heads, liberty quarters,dozens of wheat pennies,barber dimes,a silver 1805 lapel pin,a silver ring and braceletand much more.
Then today it produced the best yet. I found these two coins in the same spot about four inches down.One is a 1786 spanish reale that was minted in mexico city,and the other I can't identify, but I would guess it is of the same time period. Both have holes in them like they were worn or carried on a chain. I can't wait till daylight!!

 

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[Darren in NC]

Way to go, hikermike! I'll bet you were drooling on those. Good luck in the daylight.

 

[Leon]

Nice finds
Sounds like you hit a site we're all looking for...
Good Luck & Happy Hunting~

 

[Coin_Saver]

Could u tell me what md u are using and where u are located? i live in Ohio and am really hopeing i will find somthin like that. HH CS

 

[Kent in AL]

Outstanding finds! It's a wonder you weren't out there with worklights working through the night.

Kent

 

[JARMAN]

Great find,I would be off work the next day and back at it.who could work?HH

 

[True_Metal]

Nice digs, Hikermike. Good job 8)

 

[jimmyg8138]

Hello Mike. Maybe this is the season for Reale's...I found one last week on the beach in Rockaway NY, date is hard to read but I do make out the 17....it was a King Charles IV so it's from 1791 or later. Can't get pix to work tho. My first Reale. Regards and Merry Christmas, Jim
OOps, it does work....

 

[hikermike]

Killer dig Jimmy!! Nothing like the feeling of finding something like this!!!Except finding more!!
I'm still hoping fo find more at the old church site I've been working.My last two hunts turned up a 1916 wheatie, a 1942 mercury dime,one ink bottle, and a couple bucks in clad.All finds are great but there should be more older(late 1700's) coins here!! Keep up the good work!! H.H.

mike

 

[jasonmerry]

Can anyone fill me in on what the holes in the reales are for?? i noticed the hole is also in jimmyg8138's

 

[Darod]

Gorgeous! I'm speachless

Rod

 

[spotz]

Certainly make my memorial pennies I dug today seem insignifigant! Great finds & a nice post Hikermike! I am turning green with envy. Do it again. We're just waiting to see your next ones. Spotz

 

[Jim Cal]

Great finds! I think the holes are for a chain to hang around ones neck. Man I wish I lived near a beach. Jim Cal

 

[vwayne1]

Way too many coins are found with holes to have just been worn for jewelery. Here is another explanation, Pockets were not invented on clothes untill a couple hundred (or less) years ago, so many people holed there coins and sewed them inside there clothes for safe keeping. Read that in an old treasure mag . By the way, here are a couple of my old texas finds w/holes. Silver 3 cent , and seated dime.

 

[Jim Cal]

Hey the explaination on holes works for me. Learn something new every day. I just assumed since I find lot of coins at parks, houses, schools with holes drilled at the top that it was for hanging around the neck on a chain. Jim Cal

 

[Copper]

Can anyone fill me in on what the holes in the reales are for?? i noticed the hole is also in jimmyg8138's

The holed coin above was most likely drilled to wear about the neck as was mentioned. Also, they were drilled for several other reasons.

I've included a picture of a holed cob that is most desirable and rather rare. I quote here an expert in this area: "This specimen has a casting hole made at the time the silver was originally cast, before being formed into a coin. Refer to Dr. Alan Craig?s 2000 book Spanish Colonial Silver Coins in the Florida Collection, for his theory on how these holes were made. Most specimens with natural holes like this are from Mexico, but this specimen does not show the distinctive ?ball shaped? lily flower at the 4 cross ends, either because the cross ends are not prominent enough to show or because the coin was made in another mint, the likeliest being Seville. We date the coin before 1700 because the shield is Habsburg design instead of the Bourbon design."

Nice find!

Copper