My first COUNTERFEIT 8 Reales!

invent4hir · Jul 9, 2025

Although last month I decided not to return to an old cabin site, yesterday I did for my 18th visit when the V3i displayed a mixed signal and phase. Rewarded with my first 8 Reales amongst 2 rusty nails. Normally silver coins come out of the ground in my area looking good compared to coppers of a similar age. However, the dark areas on this coin, seem to be a combination of the limestone soil that eats into the surface with rust from the nearby nails and maybe some organic material. I've done some cleaning (baking soda, aluminum foil, boiling water...) - but the dark areas are stubborn. Still, it blows my mind to have found this coin, at a site I finished. Just goes to show persistence pays :hello2:

invent4hir · Jul 10, 2025

Gene Mean said:
The counterfeiter knew it but after it´s passed to the next person maybe not, especially if the weight is close and it ¨sounds right¨.
Great find for sure!

Gene Mean, who knows, maybe it was play money for the kids...

invent4hir · Jul 10, 2025

pepperj said:
Congratulations on the counterfeit 8.
It's a rare recovery for sure.

pepperj, thanks! Not sure how rare it is overall, but 1 is enough for me. Next time maybe it will be the real McCoy.

Trezurehunter · Jul 11, 2025

Neat find, I have never found a counterfeit coin before.

invent4hir · Jul 11, 2025

Trezurehunter said:
Neat find, I have never found a counterfeit coin before.

Trezurehunter, thanks. Just keep at it and a counterfeit coin is bound to show up...

russau · Jul 12, 2025

Counterfeit or not ,I'd love to find one of these !

invent4hir · Jul 12, 2025

russau thanks, I'm with you. Typically I donate most good finds to the local historical society in educational display cases. Despite the interesting story behind this one - its going to be hard to let go. Still, if I do donate it & it's story then others will learn and I'm assured it won't be tossed or sold on eBay after I'm gone...

Relicific · Jul 14, 2025

Interesting and rare find
Congrats

ModernMiner · Jul 15, 2025

Welcome to the "Counterfeit 8 Club"!!! Congrats to you on your find. I dug one back in 2007 when I first joined Tnet. I was told that the counterfeits were rarer than the real thing. Here is my post from 2007, and a lot of replies from some old timer Tnet folks like myself.

Spanish Silver 8 reale * UPDATE* A 1700s COUNTERFEIT !!! @@

Spanish Silver 8 reale *** UPDATE*** A 1700's COUNTERFEIT !!! @@ I'm hoping like heck this is what I think it is. I'm hoping this is a piece of Spanish silver. If so, it's by far my best coin ever! Can someone tell me what it is? Age? Is it real? I can make out the following: "SPAN ET IN?" on...

www.treasurenet.com

Great find!
-MM-

Michael Karpovage · Jul 15, 2025

UnderMiner said:
The ping test would be simple too, especially for such a big coin, just balance it on your finger and tap it with a piece of metal, if it rings like a high pitched bell, it's silver.

I did this ping test with the 1862 8-Reale coin our team found and what a beautiful high-pitched bell sound she rang!!

invent4hir · Jul 15, 2025

Relicific said:
Interesting and rare find
Congrats

Relicific, thanks a bunch!

invent4hir · Jul 15, 2025

ModernMiner said:
Welcome to the "Counterfeit 8 Club"!!! Congrats to you on your find. I dug one back in 2007 when I first joined Tnet. I was told that the counterfeits were rarer than the real thing. Here is my post from 2007, and a lot of replies from some old timer Tnet folks like myself.

Spanish Silver 8 reale *** UPDATE*** A 1700s COUNTERFEIT !!! @@

Spanish Silver 8 reale *** UPDATE*** A 1700's COUNTERFEIT !!! @@ I'm hoping like heck this is what I think it is. I'm hoping this is a piece of Spanish silver. If so, it's by far my best coin ever! Can someone tell me what it is? Age? Is it real? I can make out the following: "SPAN ET IN?" on...

www.treasurenet.com

Great find!
-MM-

MM, thank and very, very cool thread from the past about yours!

invent4hir · Jul 15, 2025

Michael Karpovage said:
I did this ping test with the 1862 8-Reale coin our team found and what a beautiful high-pitched bell sound she rang!!

Michael Karpovage, that is a sweet sound!

invent4hir · Jul 15, 2025

Update, I went to a different coin shop who declared it authentic - but said I should send to a grading house to confirm. Came home, thought about the lack of the high silver ring, and looked on-line for other ways to distinguish authentic from counterfeit of which the pattern on the edge is one. Authentic 8 Reales have alternating circles and rectangles (top pic). While the edge on mine is in bad condition, there is one area the pattern is still visible - and it does not appear authentic. Conclusion: That + some of the things mentioned above = counterfeit.

russau · Jul 16, 2025

Either way , it's a great find ! :coffee2:

Digger RJ · Jul 16, 2025

invent4hir said:
Although last month I decided not to return to an old cabin site, yesterday I did for my 18th visit when the V3i displayed a mixed signal and phase. Rewarded with my first 8 Reales amongst 2 rusty nails. Normally silver coins come out of the ground in my area looking good compared to coppers of a similar age. However, the dark areas on this coin, seem to be a combination of the limestone soil that eats into the surface with rust from the nearby nails and maybe some organic material. I've done some cleaning (baking soda, aluminum foil, boiling water...) - but the dark areas are stubborn. Still, it blows my mind to have found this coin, at a site I finished. Just goes to show persistence pays

Awesome!!! Congrats!!!

invent4hir · Jul 16, 2025

russau said:
Either way , it's a great find !

russau, I totally agree. When I donate it to the local historical society in an educational display case, I'll try to imagine if the owner ever knew it was counterfeit and if so what they thought when they found out. Interesting that the 2R I found about 10 feet away is authentic.