Cob Party? Need your help, boys and girls.

[Gatorbait]

I know very little about coins. My memories of these specimen are hazy, considering I got them 15-20 years ago at approximately 10 years old.




Here's what I THINK we're looking at.

1. Eight 4-reale coins, found by me on a dig with my grandmother and her cohort in the Tampa Bay area. I watched as they were pulled out of the roots of a tree via 4-ft deep hole. Research tells me these are Mexican mint.
2. 3 8-reale coins, given to me by my grandmother. Research tells me that these MAY be from the Potosi mint.
3. One replica 8-reale, given to me by my grandmother to compare the other coins to.

I've been toting these coins around for years. I found them again when I moved last year, and I only pulled them out today because they remind me of my grandmother.


My first question: Am I right? I know for certain that at least half are real.

My second question: Do I sell them, or clean up a few as jewelry for Valentine's day? I'm kind of impartial, but I definitely don't want to make the mistake of ruining something worth hundreds just because I wanted to make it shiny. Any thoughts here are much appreciated!


Thanks,

Gatorbait

 

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[StormSurge]

None of the cobs I've found look anything like that. Looks like a lot of copper in those coins.

 

[Mackaydon]

I agree with StormSurge.
The coins have a strong resemblance to a copper patina; silver tarnishes to almost black.
Don.....

 

[Trez]

Gatorbait,
As for you being certain that half are real? which ones do you think are real? And why do you think so?
These coins have a way of making many think they are real, novice to experts have been fooled.
To me the value is when you saw your grandparents dig them from that tree, that's priceless.
My thoughts are the memory genuine and valuable. The coins not. My opinion.

Trez

 

[Boatlode]

Weigh them to see if they are silver. 8 reales should weigh 27.5 grams, 4 reales 13.75 grams.

 

[Gatorbait]

Weigh them to see if they are silver. 8 reales should weigh 27.5 grams, 4 reales 13.75 grams.

Good plan. Here's what I've got:

Possible 8 reales (from picture of 4 coins): 27.00, 27.72, 21.18, and the replica weighs in at 26.62
Possible 4 reales: 14.31, 13.19, 13.23, 12.93, 10.28, 6.30, 7.01, 1.01


So then my follow-up...what would be the margin of error here? I would think there's room for erosion over time...I've also heard that pieces of these coins may have been cut-off to pay debts, is that a possibility?

 

[Gatorbait]

My memory is of the smaller coins (from the picture containing 8 coins).

So if these types of coins are hard to validate originality, how would I even go about doing so? Do I need to track down the world's foremost expert?

 

[BigWaveDave]

The worlds foremost experts frequent this site....(not that I am one), give it a few days, you will get an accurate identification of your pieces.

 

[Diver_Down]

Don and Trez are some the best when it comes to Spanish Colonial Cobs/Coins. I agree with Trez and Don. Just because they came from the ground does not make them genuine. Now, if you want one of the best with regards to expert opinions than track down Realeswatcher. He doesn't frequent TNet as often, but when he lends his knowledge, pull up a chair because school is in session. He does contribute to ColonialCobs.com under the same handle.

 

[Gatorbait]

Don and Trez are some the best when it comes to Spanish Colonial Cobs/Coins. I agree with Trez and Don. Just because they came from the ground does not make them genuine. Now, if you want one of the best with regards to expert opinions than track down Realeswatcher. He doesn't frequent TNet as often, but when he lends his knowledge, pull up a chair because school is in session. He does contribute to ColonialCobs.com under the same handle.

I appreciate it, I really do. I'm purely curious at this point. '

Comparing those in the (possible) 4-real picture...the smallest definitely looks copper or bronze. Would it be possible that these smaller coins of different metal rubbed against the silver coins to give them that patina?

 

[Mackaydon]

Weight is only an indicator of denomination, not a determinate of composition. Any coin weighing over the standard weight can be considered either a replica or of a higher denomination IF the image is identical to that higher denomination. One of the strengths (credibility) of Mexican coins is that they held their integrity of composition. I can't see how these coins with their green patina can be other than copper based, and therefore neither 4Rs or 8R Mexican coins that were composed of +/- 90% silver in those days.
Don.......

 

[Diver_Down]

I appreciate it, I really do. I'm purely curious at this point. '

Comparing those in the (possible) 4-real picture...the smallest definitely looks copper or bronze. Would it be possible that these smaller coins of different metal rubbed against the silver coins to give them that patina?

The corrosion that is evident would not be caused by contact and rubbing against a known copper piece. The corrosion is caused by the oxidation of the copper that comprises the alloy of the individual pieces.

 

[signal]

Can you elaborate on your outing, I am intrigued. Did your grandma's friend have a detector? I am wondering how you ended up in a 4ft hole, since that's way further than a detector would find them. How did you find this cache?

 

[Gatorbait]

Can you elaborate on your outing, I am intrigued. Did your grandma's friend have a detector? I am wondering how you ended up in a 4ft hole, since that's way further than a detector would find them. How did you find this cache?

Here's what I can remember. We drove to private property somewhere in the greater Tampa Bay area (I'm leaning towards southern Hillsborough county). We drove through a little tiny redneck gate onto private property. We had less than a five-minute drive into the trees, ended up near this site. It was elevated 10-20ft above the water, likely on an inlet. The site had a sieve that felt very permanent, which my grandmother's associates were using for every bucket coming out of the hole. They were always running metal detectors around near the beaches, wouldn't be surprised if they found some pings on private property owned by non-locals, and just snuck in in the summertime. It all felt hush-hush – but again, I was young.

 

[tormes]

Hi. I can see on the first one its mint mark (M and O above) corresponding to México and the assayer mark D, who was active from 1622 to 1632, so this "real de a ocho" was struck under king Philip IV.
I suppose that other coins must be contemporaries to this one.

It is strange that green corrosion, but I dont realize the reason why.

t.

 

[lisfisher]

Silver coins will turn black, while copper coins turn green. My guess is these are copper, but the fact that you dug them in a 4 foot deep hole in Florida really puts a twist in things. Why would someone bury a bunch of fake copper reales? The best part is copper or not, you have a nice memory of digging these up with your Grandmother which is priceless.