First Spanish Cob!

[Hunthicks]

Today I decided that I'd take a walk back through the woods to a foundation I'd found last year, near where I'd found my first trade axe. When I was there last year, a few square nails was all I'd found but I knew the area was old from the trade axe, and the fact it's over 2.5 KM from the nearest parking spot, let alone any current buildings.
After digging a couple square nails, I got a solid, deep sounding signal and this coin popped up from 8 - 10 inches below the roots. I saw it was a cob nearly right away, but it appears to be pure silver over a purplish silver alloy, which is strange. I have no doubt it's period due to the area, but is this normal or a contemporary counterfeit?



Targets were very sparse, but the extremely dry ground surely didn't help. I did manage this cool old pot and a huge pick, that seems to have some markings on it(a circle and a banner shaped mark). I'm thinking a return in the spring when the ground is nice and wet will be worth it!

 

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[Iron Patch]

Seeing the closer pics it looks like it could be counterfeit because of the flaking look to it. None of my cobs look that way, and is strange because I seldom see period fake cobs, and that is in general and not just detecting finds. Interestingly enough I have seen many more French counterfeit coins that age so I have to wonder if it was a Frenchmen trying to pull a fast one.

 

[Hunthicks]

Well, given where it was found, I'd say the foundation was almost surely french if it was as early as the other finds. The trade axe, pot, pick and the coin were the only things I dug within a few hundred yards of the foundation, save for a couple shotshell casing from the mid 1900s.

Seeing the closer pics it looks like it could be counterfeit because of the flaking look to it. None of my cobs look that way, and is strange because I seldom see period fake cobs, and that is in general and not just detecting finds. Interestingly enough I have seen many more French counterfeit coins that age so I have to wonder if it was a Frenchmen trying to pull a fast one.

 

[Iron Patch]

Well, given where it was found, I'd say the foundation was almost surely french if it was as early as the other finds. The trade axe, pot, pick and the coin were the only things I dug within a few hundred yards of the foundation, save for a couple shotshell casing from the mid 1900s.

No question it's from the French site, but that doesn't really help because the French had as many cobs as they did French silver coins. (in fact more than French here) The question is... Can the Patriot say it doesn't count?

 

[CASPER-2]

 

[Hunthicks]

No question it's from the French site, but that doesn't really help because the French had as many cobs as they did French silver coins. (in fact more than French here) The question is... Can the Patriot say it doesn't count?

Haha, if it makes him feel better! But I'm gonna count it. And head back in the spring to see if I can find anything else there!

 

[Hunthicks]

No question it's from the French site, but that doesn't really help because the French had as many cobs as they did French silver coins. (in fact more than French here) The question is... Can the Patriot say it doesn't count?

I did find a vicky fishscale at the site Romeo got his first trade axe that was like this, kind of purplish showing through the worn spots. Wonder if it's just a defect in the silver smelting process somehow?

 

[EccentricInTexas]

Nice Finds!!! I wonder if being in the ground could have tarnished it to look like that?

 

[Iron Patch]

I did find a vicky fishscale at the site Romeo got his first trade axe that was like this, kind of purplish showing through the worn spots. Wonder if it's just a defect in the silver smelting process somehow?

It's not so much the color I have the problem with as the rough surface. I have a cob that's dark/purple like that, but the surface is smooth as silver generally should be when dug on land. Even when it's not smooth, like salt water finds when it's pitted it doesn't really look that way.


I bet he'll say it doesn't count!


PS: Cleaning it would most likely reveal the truth.

 

[wvwildman]

nice finds congrats HH

 

[hogge]

Just doesn't look right. Nice coin.....but not quite right.

 

[Mackaydon]

Its weight in grams could be an indicator of counterfeit or not.
A substantial deviation from the standard weight for 1,2 4 and 8 Reales coins would indicate counterfeit or replica.
Don........

 

[Hunthicks]

Its weight in grams could be an indicator of counterfeit or not.
A substantial deviation from the standard weight for 1,2 4 and 8 Reales coins would indicate counterfeit or replica.
Don........

100% not a replica, definitely a period counterfeit if not authentic. Over the past 150 years I doubt 15 people have walked this area, and those that did were almost surely hunting. This area hasn't even been logged as far back as the 1930s based on air photo research. Unless a hunter dropped a replica cob less than 5 feet from a foundation with other period artifacts, 2.5 KM from any road or habitation!

 

[Hunthicks]

It's not so much the color I have the problem with as the rough surface. I have a cob that's dark/purple like that, but the surface is smooth as silver generally should be when dug on land. Even when it's not smooth, like salt water finds when it's pitted it doesn't really look that way.


I bet he'll say it doesn't count!


PS: Cleaning it would most likely reveal the truth.

Best way to clean it?

 

[Hunthicks]

Its weight in grams could be an indicator of counterfeit or not.
A substantial deviation from the standard weight for 1,2 4 and 8 Reales coins would indicate counterfeit or replica.
Don........

Weight is 3 grams, diameter is 18 - 21 MM.

 

[Mackaydon]

Good weight for a 'light' one'real' coin.
Don.......

 

[pepperj]

Either way it's a cool find, that's what counts.

 

[Captin Scrap]

seems like you had fun here. Congrats.

 

[romeo-1]

Nice find Hicks! If it were mine I would be contemplating some mild electrolysis...using tin foil and salted water...tough call though.

 

[ironhorse]

I think it could be the reale deale!

Undisturbed in the ground for so long and perhaps unfavourable soil conditions caused the discolouration.
I'm going to say that it's a great find despite the colour! Good luck in the spring