Quick hunt yields 2 cut coins.. I think?

[Dan]

Hey rain day but warm. Quick hunt after work.. usual garbage and some zinc pennies. Then these 2, I thought they where trash and just stuck in my pocket. Can these be identified? I don't think they are silver, as they are not shinny like other silver change I found. However heavy in the hand. These might be the oldest coins (or partial coins) to date. Any advise on cleaning?

sorry for the poor pics.

 

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[Mackaydon]

Double the average radius and that will give you the average diameter from which the denomination can be determined.
Start with that .
Don....

 

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[Mackaydon]

They all appear to be coins of the 'shields' and 'columns' type. Assuming they are Mexican, this style appeared on the 8R coins from 1732 through 1771.
Don....

 

[Mackaydon]

One piece has the letters 'FM' who was the assayer in 1770 and 1771 on 8Rs of this style. The four pieces together should weigh about 27 grams if the coin is an 8 R; or half that for a 4R. "FM" , however was not an assayer on the 4Rs of this style (columns and shield).
Don.......

 

[BuckleBoy]

Those are most certainly the real deal. 1700s coins for sure. Now if you're finding coins that old and almost throwing them away, you need to pay attention to the BRASS relics you're finding there! Some killer, valuable relics might not look like much to most. That's why it's so important that we educate ourselves if we are going to recover history! Any buttons come up at that site?

-Buck

 

[Steve in PA]

Congrats on those finds! They look like the real deal to me too. Can you post a picture with them beside a quarter? That would help us identify what denomination they were cut from.

 

[detroitdigger]

Sweet finds!!!!

 

[Mach1Pilot]

Very nice!

 

[Dan]

Thanks for all the feed back. I did take a photo with with a quarter for comparison. Also the cut mercury dime, a cut wheat penny and what turned out to be a buffalo nickel(my first) also cut. The cut coins I believe rang up like zinc. As if they rang up like a silver dime I would have paid more attention. I intially took them as trash.

 

[CRUSADER]

Thanks for all the feed back. I did take a photo with with a quarter for comparison. Also the cut mercury dime, a cut wheat penny and what turned out to be a buffalo nickel(my first) also cut. The cut coins I believe rang up like zinc. As if they rang up like a silver dime I would have paid more attention. I intially took them as trash.

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'rang up like zinc' Thats why I keep telling people to ignore the VDU, learn the sounds only, that will be better than any display.

Very nice coins, I would be happy with them as well.

 

[park pirate]

Nice..don't clean them look good just the way they are...

 

[Steve in PA]

Those pieces are cut from a larger coin, and 8 reale or possiblty a 4 reale. They should have rung up between a silver dime and a silver quarter. I would run them under your coil again. If they come in at zinc penny, I would question what they are made of.

 

[BuckleBoy]

True about the VDI for coins that are cut from 8R's like those are. Should ring up higher. BUT, even if they are counterfeits they are PERIOD counterfeits 200+ years old. VERY nice finds, and would be a prized find in any collection.

-Buck

 

[Mackaydon]

Now seeing the relative scale of the coins compared to the quarter, they are cut from an 8R coin (38 mm in diameter before being cut).
Don.......

 

[dasabighole]

I'd leave them alone! You dont have TIME to fool with them right now! YOU ARE LOOKING FOR MORE!!!!! Great Finds!

 

[Flex68]

This is not the type of coin I think you should be cleaning very much... Don't use baking soda or toothpaste on them, to corrosive if its not to late... They put hairline scratches on the coins... If your going to clean it, I'd use light electrolysis and shine it up a little with just distilled water after electrolysis... Make sure you watch it close and check it often, electrolysis can cause coins to pit.

Ditto on avoiding the abrasives for cleaning. And I have even ruined silverplate by being overly aggressive with the electrolysis.....as good as they look in the photo, you might wish to consider leaving in "as found" condition.