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Spanish Silver Cob 1684-1697

N.J.THer

Silver Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2006
Messages
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Golden Thread
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Location
Middlesex County, New Jersey
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Whites DFX w/ Sunray DX-1 probe and Minelab Excalibur 1000, Whites TRX Pinpointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
With our second little one expected in August I've been doing less detecting on weekends and more work around the house but I do try to get out at lunch time during the work week. Last night it poured so the ground was damp making what was like cement the last few days a little softer. It was overcast but I figured I could get a quick hunt in at my favorite lunch time park. I love hunting in these conditions.

How I decide where to hunt at this park is where I can find parking on the city street. This is a challenge in itself. Today it placed me by a baseball field that has produced IHs, Mercs, Buffalo's, War Time nickels and one Hard Times Token. My first target was a 1941 nickel...just missed the silver nickel. The next target was jumping from a half to a dollar signal but it was deep and the ground was to hard to dig down that far. The next target was only 3 inches deep which is usually clad but it was a good signal so I decided to dig it. Wow was I surprised when this popped out.....


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This is only my second Spanish Silver that I've found in my detecting career...both this year. I thought it was a 2 Reale but then after rinsing it off I think it may be a 4 Reale with a few bits clipped off. I see at least three cuts. From looking online I believe it was minted in Bolivia. Where the date should be is one of the cuts....Is there anyway to tell what year this was minted from the other markings?

Any additional information would be greatly appreciated.

Right after I dug this coin my wife called so I spoke to her for a few minutes then decided to head back to the office. This was my best 10 minutes of detecting. Everytime I start thinking about looking for a new place to detect this park gives me something I did not expect.

I love this hobby....happy hunting everyone.

NJ

Update: From others posts it is a 2 Reale Spanish Cob. The Mint is Potosi and they believe the assayer is VR (Pedro de Villar). The date range is 1684-1697. (Thanks Iron Patch, Don and Wreckdiver for the info)
 

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Upvote 0
Re: My Oldest Coin to Date - This one suprised me!! Spanish Silver...

Nice find N.J.THer. Love the spanish coins. Congrats on the coin. And Best of luck with the little one. :icon_thumright:

Mainer
 
Re: My Oldest Coin to Date - This one suprised me!! Spanish Silver...

WHAO! That is NO reproduction. Looks like the real deal to me. If it is, I say BANNER! :notworthy: :headbang: :hello2: Some of the experts will chime in soon.
 
Re: My Oldest Coin to Date - This one suprised me!! Spanish Silver...

Looks like a gem to me. Being from the midwest we don't get the chance to dig those babies too often. Nice on and Congrats. jgas
 
Re: My Oldest Coin to Date - This one suprised me!! Spanish Silver...

Good looking two reale cob! :thumbsup:
 
Re: My Oldest Coin to Date - This one suprised me!! Spanish Silver...

Nice Find WTG
 
Re: My Oldest Coin to Date - This one suprised me!! Spanish Silver...

Iron Patch said:
Good looking two reale cob! :thumbsup:

Iron Patch,
So it is a 2 Reale? Thanks for the ID....I thought with the parts that were missing it might be a 4 Reale. Oh well...I'll still take it.
NJ
 
Re: My Oldest Coin to Date - This one suprised me!! Spanish Silver...

mainer said:
Nice find N.J.THer. Love the spanish coins. Congrats on the coin. And Best of luck with the little one. :icon_thumright:

Mainer

Thanks Mainer...The Coin was fun but I can't wait for August.
 
Re: My Oldest Coin to Date - This one suprised me!! Spanish Silver...

hogge said:
WHAO! That is NO reproduction. Looks like the real deal to me. If it is, I say BANNER! :notworthy: :headbang: :hello2: Some of the experts will chime in soon.

Thanks Hogge...Nothing compared to the awesome coins you find but I'm happy with it.

NJ
 
Re: My Oldest Coin to Date - This one suprised me!! Spanish Silver...

jgas said:
Looks like a gem to me. Being from the midwest we don't get the chance to dig those babies too often. Nice on and Congrats. jgas

Thanks jgas...Keep looking you will find one.

NJ
 
Re: My Oldest Coin to Date - This one suprised me!! Spanish Silver...

Bob S said:
Nice Find WTG

Thanks Bob
 
Re: My Oldest Coin to Date - This one suprised me!! Spanish Silver...

N.J.THer said:
Iron Patch said:
Good looking two reale cob! :thumbsup:

Iron Patch,
So it is a 2 Reale? Thanks for the ID....I thought with the parts that were missing it might be a 4 Reale. Oh well...I'll still take it.
NJ

Yep, too small for a 4. There's nothing missing, it's just crude from being a hammered chunk of silver.
 
Re: My Oldest Coin to Date - This one suprised me!! Spanish Silver...

Congrats on the 2 Reals. Nice find.
 
Re: My Oldest Coin to Date - This one suprised me!! Spanish Silver...

Super find NJ, COBS are not found too often at all in New Jersey and to find a 2 Reale is just absolutely great! :hello2:

Finding a cob in our state is equal to finding a 1780's state copper in, ah, Kentucky, just does not happen to often. A couple fellow detectorists friends of mine did some discussion on why the lack of them in the Northeast and it basically was because of commerce and the fact we had more copper in use and most of the cobs were circulated in Virginia and we have noticed a bit of higher useage out in Western Pa, possibly due to Virginians migrating to that area. Anyway finding a 2 Reale Cob is a Banner find for our state.

Don
 
Re: My Oldest Coin to Date - This one suprised me!! Spanish Silver...

Nice find on the 2 reale!! Like Don said, we don't see many of those found here. I have seen many from the Rehoboth, DE area which is a relatively short distance away, but not many from here.

It is great that you found that at a local ball field. I don't know how many of those I have driven past without stopping. Next time I will think twice.
 
Re: My Oldest Coin to Date - This one suprised me!! Spanish Silver...

Hey... Congrats on this awesome find!!! WTG... :thumbsup: I grew-up in Old Bridge, then lived in Somerset and New Brunswick. Where 'bouts are you in Middlesex Cnty? All the best in future hunting!!.... Tom Cleary
 
Re: My Oldest Coin to Date - This one suprised me!! Spanish Silver...

Hey John...WTG!! That is one incredible find! I'm surprised some of the locals didn't get it first! ;D It has my vote for BANNER!

CONGRATS!!
 
Re: My Oldest Coin to Date - This one suprised me!! Spanish Silver...

rodgerdodger said:
Congrats on the 2 Reals. Nice find.

Thank you
 
Re: My Oldest Coin to Date - This one suprised me!! Spanish Silver...

Don in SJ said:
Super find NJ, COBS are not found too often at all in New Jersey and to find a 2 Reale is just absolutely great! :hello2:

Finding a cob in our state is equal to finding a 1780's state copper in, ah, Kentucky, just does not happen to often. A couple fellow detectorists friends of mine did some discussion on why the lack of them in the Northeast and it basically was because of commerce and the fact we had more copper in use and most of the cobs were circulated in Virginia and we have noticed a bit of higher useage out in Western Pa, possibly due to Virginians migrating to that area. Anyway finding a 2 Reale Cob is a Banner find for our state.

Don

Thanks Don...It was only the third target I dug and had to stop after I found it. I could not focus on detecting after this one. I've been hunting this one city block park for two years now and it gives a nice range of finds but this one was way out of that range. The oldest coin I found in this park prior to this find coin was a 1817 LC.
 
Re: My Oldest Coin to Date - This one suprised me!! Spanish Silver...

Neil in West Jersey said:
Nice find on the 2 reale!! Like Don said, we don't see many of those found here. I have seen many from the Rehoboth, DE area which is a relatively short distance away, but not many from here.

It is great that you found that at a local ball field. I don't know how many of those I have driven past without stopping. Next time I will think twice.

Thanks Neil

When I drive down to the outer bank I pass Rehoboth and always mention to my wife that I want to stop one day and hunt at coin beach. In the same ball field about ten feet way from this coin I found a 1837 Hard Times Token and I always felt there had to be more around that area but never imagined this one.
 

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