Gulfstream Rarities half reale

BobbyO · Nov 29, 2019

I just received a framed Gulfstream Rarities 1715 Fleet Half Reale. Got it off Ebay with the thought it is a fake but wanted it anyway for the heck of it. Was planning on taking the coin out of the frame so I could really look at both sides under a scope. But once I got it, it really looked good and does make a good display piece. I would feel more comfortable in displaying this in my mancave office instead of one of my nicer, authentic reales that I keep in a safe. I expected it to be smaller but the coin is approximately 1.25" wide and 1.5" tall. Just wondering, is there anyway to make a determination as to it's authenticity without taking it out of the frame? I can see all the edges ok and don't see any seams. Thanks!

goldnsilver · Nov 30, 2019

Would like to see a photo of it if possible.

Mackaydon · Nov 30, 2019

Welcome to treasurenet !!
Yes, pics would be nice.
Don.....

BobbyO · Nov 30, 2019

Here are the pics.

Mackaydon · Nov 30, 2019

I'd leave it the way it is and display it proudly in your mancave.
Don.....

BobbyO · Nov 30, 2019

kind of my thoughts too..

ROBOTCOP13 · Nov 30, 2019

It looks good, what does it weigh? It seems big for a half reale.

I've found worn halves on the treasure coast and they are about the size of a dime.

bobinsd · Nov 30, 2019

Check with Fisher

BobbyO said:
I just received a framed Gulfstream Rarities 1715 Fleet Half Reale. Got it off Ebay with the thought it is a fake but wanted it anyway for the heck of it. Was planning on taking the coin out of the frame so I could really look at both sides under a scope. But once I got it, it really looked good and does make a good display piece. I would feel more comfortable in displaying this in my mancave office instead of one of my nicer, authentic reales that I keep in a safe. I expected it to be smaller but the coin is approximately 1.25" wide and 1.5" tall. Just wondering, is there anyway to make a determination as to it's authenticity without taking it out of the frame? I can see all the edges ok and don't see any seams. Thanks!

Usually the COAs have an embedded picture.

Diver_Down · Dec 1, 2019

BobbyO said:
I just received a framed Gulfstream Rarities 1715 Fleet Half Reale. Got it off Ebay with the thought it is a fake but wanted it anyway for the heck of it. Was planning on taking the coin out of the frame so I could really look at both sides under a scope. But once I got it, it really looked good and does make a good display piece. I would feel more comfortable in displaying this in my mancave office instead of one of my nicer, authentic reales that I keep in a safe. I expected it to be smaller but the coin is approximately 1.25" wide and 1.5" tall. Just wondering, is there anyway to make a determination as to it's authenticity without taking it out of the frame? I can see all the edges ok and don't see any seams. Thanks!

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it is a cast fake. You should have trusted your gut instinct. But as you said, you wanted something to hang in your mancave. The piece will be sterling (Terri never used pot metal). He owned his own framing company and produced these at little cost. Cobb Coin Co. is another name that he used. Worse is that the Cobb Coin Co. actually used Gulfstream Rarities embossed seal on the cert.

In the future, when you see a Gulfstream Rarities or Cobb Coin Co., run away. On occasion, there are some legit pieces put in the frames. He had done some Admiral Garner and low grade Atocha pieces. The coins are available via wholesale without certs and are resold. But for the most part, the cobs are all fakes except for the low grade Atocha pieces.

Don't believe me? You can google Gulfstream Rarities fake cobs for your own results. There was a thread here on TNet in 2010 that confirmed the suspicions at the time. YouTube has evidence along with numerous other sites.

Edit: Even if you knew nothing about the history of Gulfstream Rarities, as a collector, that would have to be the largest half reale that anyone has seen.

Diver_Down · Dec 1, 2019

bobinsd said:
Usually the COAs have an embedded picture.

Don't trust a piece of paper with pictures/embossed stamps/phony serial no./frame/etc. The old adage of buy the coin not the holder applies to cob coinage.

BobbyO · Dec 1, 2019

Thanks for the info Diver Down. I figured it was fake when I bought it. Got it cheap. I have been studying cobs to improve my knowledge of authentic vs fake. Hard to do without actually studying fakes. Did the same with Louis Vuitton products. Pretty good at determining those fakes. Trying to have the same skills with the cobs. I have read the cob book by Sedwick and lots of info on google. If you have any other good info on fakes, please pass it to me if you can. Thanks again.