Spanish Silver

[soky72]

This was brought into the local historical society by a detectorist here in southern Ky. Is this a Spanish Reale or Piece of Eight? I thought the hole may have been made so it could be worn as jewelry but I was told sometimes coins were sewn into clothing and that might account for the hole. Im sure most of you can probably ID the coin but I am also curious about the hole.

 

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[Johnny Ringo Silver]

It could be true on both ideas! Sewn into the clothing, or worn as jewelery. Pretty nice find for a detectorist! 8)

 

[Prairie Prowler]

Nice coin.. it is a 2 Reales (Its about the size of a US half-dollar ?) the 2 R on the reverse indicates denomination I believe.....As for the hole it is hard to say when/why it was made in the coin..HHunting..

 

[leddel]

yup a 2 reale but i thought they were closer to a quarter in size and i bet most holed coins that line up the front with date perfectly up right at the bottom like yours were to signify or commemorate an event that happened within that particular year ( wedding , or death of a loved one , birth of a child , or something even more significant , ect ).

 

[soky72]

Nice coin.. it is a 2 Reales (Its about the size of a US half-dollar ?) the 2 R on the reverse indicates denomination I believe.....As for the hole it is hard to say when/why it was made in the coin..HHunting..

I don't have it with me but I would say definitely bigger than a quarter but slightly smaller than a half dollar.

 

[The Patriot]

gotta love finds like that!

 

[70monte68]

nice coin!!! I found a 1773 reale today as well.

 

[traverdog]

I like it!!!

 

[soky72]

I didnt find it but it was found by a metal detectorist. It was brought into our local historical society and I told them I could get some information about it here and I certainly did. This forum is a wealth of information. You could post a screw off an obscure firearm and someone here would be able to ID it for you so I knew this coin would be cake.

 

[curbdiggercarl57]

Think slice of pizza when picturing a piece of eight.
Either way, real nice find.
Carl

 

[ivan salis]

1774 2 reale mexico city mint --in the year 1774 the F M assyer would be antino forcada * -- it is 2 reales or 2 bits ( equal to a american quarter dollar at the later 8 reales = 1 us dollar ratio ) while a bit larger in size than a quarter -- it tended to be a bit thinner--so overall weight and silver purity were similar (90%) to a quarter dollar coin -- us money was based off the spanish 8 reale coin * as well as it purity standard (90%) pure silver -- 2 bits or reales was a "quarter dollars" --4 bits a "half dollar" -- 1 real stated out as 12 1/2 cents but or time became a dicme or 1 /10th -- now called a dime -- half dimes were also used -- later when nickle was swapped out for silver these half dimes were called "nickles" because they lacked silver and were made of "nickle"--cents (not penny) was the 1 /100th part of a dollar -- the 100 cents per dollar system was used to clearly break with the british fiscal system of 240 penny to the pound sterling standard to establish our "own" money standard as a "independant nation"

the american dollar sign $ is based on the two pillars of hercules upon the spanish 8 reale coin

 

[soky72]

1774 2 reale mexico city mint --in the year 1774 the F M assyer would be antino forcada * -- it is 2 reales or 2 bits ( equal to a american quarter dollar at the later 8 reales = 1 us dollar ratio ) while a bit larger in size than a quarter -- it tended to be a bit thinner--so overall weight and silver purity were similar (90%) to a quarter dollar coin -- us money was based off the spanish 8 reale coin * as well as it purity standard (90%) pure silver -- 2 bits or reales was a "quarter dollars" --4 bits a "half dollar" -- 1 real stated out as 12 1/2 cents but or time became a dicme or 1 /10th -- now called a dime -- half dimes were also used -- later when nickle was swapped out for silver these half dimes were called "nickles" because they lacked silver and were made of "nickle"--cents (not penny) was the 1 /100th part of a dollar -- the 100 cents per dollar system was used to clearly break with the british fiscal system of 240 penny to the pound sterling standard to establish our "own" money standard as a "independant nation"

the american dollar sign $ is based on the two pillars of hercules upon the spanish 8 reale coin

Excellent info, the local historical society will be pleased to hear it.

 

[Mystro7]

Indians also used to love to wear shiney ittems like that aswel,they would take them in trade or get them somehow. They would put a hole in it and wear them. Nice find!