1807 8-Reales

[-Jones-]

I was given this coin. I carry it with me each day, guess you could say I treat it as a "good luck piece". It's 200 years old, I'm told the marks on it are "chop marks", stamped on there by the Chinese who used the "chop marks" to identify silver.

Can anyone shed anymore light on this coin

 

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[Mackaydon]

Here you go:

Obverse
CAROLUS IIII DEI GRATIA 1807 "Charles IV by the Grace of God, 1806." Right profile of Charles III in soldier's dress with laurel wreath. It was under the reign of this monarch that the last series of Spanish dollars were struck before the United States Mint began the U.S. silver dollar in 1794
Reverse
HISPAN[IARUM] ET IND[IARUM] REX M[EXICANUS] 8 R[EALES] T H"King of the Spains and the Indies, Mexico [City Mint], 8 Reales." Crowned Spanish arms between the Pillars of Hercules adorned with PLVS VLTRA motto.

In oriental trade, Spanish dollars were often stamped with Chinese characters known as "chop marks" which indicate that particular coin had been assayed by a well-known merchant and determined genuine.

Source: http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache...chop+marks"&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=us&ie=UTF-8

 

[Mackaydon]

top line date in previous should be 1807 in both places; me bad

 

[-Jones-]

top line date in previous should be 1807 in both places; me bad

Hey mack,

thanks for the reply. I take-it the coin ain't worth much or it wouldn't have been given to me for nothin

 

[Mackaydon]

Davy:
The coin is worth a lot if you consider its educational value, its entertainment value and its conversational value-- especially when you mix in the stories of the Manila Galleons, what the chop marks represent (validation of intrisic value) and who put the chop marks on the coin (the merchants who accept the coin). Some experts can identify the individual marks to the merchant--then you'd really have something to talk about.
But if you feel it still has no value, PM me and I'll pay the S and H.
Don........

 

[-Jones-]

Davy:
The coin is worth a lot if you consider its educational value, its entertainment value and its conversational value-- especially when you mix in the stories of the Manila Galleons, what the chop marks represent (validation of intrisic value) and who put the chop marks on the coin (the merchants who accept the coin). Some experts can identify the individual marks to the merchant--then you'd really have something to talk about.
But if you feel it still has no value, PM me and I'll pay the S and H.
Don........

Hey Don,

You're absolutely right

Everytime I show that coin to someone, it's a conversation piece

I will keep her and carry her with pride

 

[Mackaydon]

Davy:
Coins of the Spanish colonial mint in Mexico City, like yours, were in time, highly respected world wide. They were legal tender in the US for one dollar thru 1857.

 

[Texas Coin Hunter]

hi you coin is worth around $50 so why sell it

Dave

 

[-Jones-]

hi you coin is worth around $50 so why sell it

Dave

Hey Texas,

My brother gave me the coin. It will be in my pocket when I'm layin in the casket

 

[Emperor Findus Cladius]

Some people specialize in coins with chop marks. Many US trade dollars exhibit these chop marks, and are prized by these folks.