1st cut silver I have found can it be ID ?

[Henley]

I have look some on the net but had not a clue on how to determine what it was cut from. I saw some close but they were a little different. Thanks for any help.

 

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[PhipsFolly]

Henley... Its a Spanish Colonial Pistereen minted in Spain between the early 17th and late 19th centuries.

Yours more specifically was minted during the reign of King Philip V hence the "US V" which was part of "PHILIPPUS V" on the obverse side along with the shield which represented Spain and her territories.

On the reverse side would be the Cross with Lions and Castles and "HISPANIARUM REX" which means "King of the Spains" or Ruler of Spain & her territories.

Additionally, silver Pistereens were considered at face value to be the same as the Spanish silver 2 Reales but these coins were actually a lower purity silver than the Reales and weren't intended to be used as circulated currency worldwide like the Reales although these coins did in fact make it to the New World colonies.

Hope this helps... Best, PhipsFolly

 

[PhipsFolly]

If you search for Spanish Colonial Pistereen on the Internet, you will find many details and photos... Best, PhipsFolly

 

[Henley]

Thank You that helps a lot.

If you search for Spanish Colonial Pistereen on the Internet, you will find many details and photos... Best, PhipsFolly

Thank You that helps a lot.

 

[dieselram94]

What was typically used to cut these coins?

sent from a potato...

 

[fever87]

King Phillip V reigned from 1700 to 1746. Your piece would be from that range. Unfortunately, there is not enough there to say definitely what mint is came from or to narrow down the range based on the assayers initials. but it could have been minted at any one of the Spanish mints in Spain or the Americas. Congrats on the find!

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

King Phillip V reigned from 1700 to 1746. Your piece would be from that range. Unfortunately, there is not enough there to say definitely what mint is came from or to narrow down the range based on the assayers initials. but it could have been minted at any one of the Spanish mints in Spain or the Americas. Congrats on the find!

I believe all pistareens were produced in Spain and not at any of the Central or South American mints.

 

[fever87]

I believe all pistareens were produced in Spain and not at any of the Central or South American mints.

While I defer to you on 99% of things colonial, I did find an article from "The Colonial Newsletter" produced by the American Numismatic Society entitled "When Cross Pistareens Cut Their Way Through the Tobacco Colonies" does tell something of a different story. http://numismatics.org/wikiuploads/CNL/Pistareens.pdf The article provides an analysis of recent finds and pictures the various mint marks including that of Cuenca (Ecuador). I, myself, recently found a cut piece at a site in NC that shows only the assayers mark - J over J, which is also from the Cuenca mint.

 

[fever87]

I believe all pistareens were produced in Spain and not at any of the Central or South American mints.

Bill - I went back to reread the article and it appears that I may have skimmed it to quickly and you are correct! The article states, in the 1st paragraph no less, the pistereen came from mainland Spain.

 

[Pistareen]

Your sharp silver pistareen in my humble opinion came from Madrid, Spain, circa 1722 - 1724, and travelled through the Caribbean as it is a one fifth cut (corresponds to island economies), not a quarter cut as is typically found in colonial America. It has about 40 years of wear such that it was probably lost (stopped getting worn down) during the French and Indian War. Any blacksmith could chop them up for change. It is a fairly scarce piece of "Caribbeana." Since pistareens were five to a Spanish Milled piece-of-eight or twenty Federal cents, a one fifth cut would be worth four cents.