could this be Spanish?

[Guest berlinetta355]

Could this be Spanish?..

My Grandad gave it to me today, and said... " Go and buy yourself an ice cream lad ".

I think he thought it was a 50 pence !... or at least still legal tender.

Mitch

[Guest berlinetta355]

sorry, for some reason the attatched pic of my coin hasn't worked.

I'll describe it instead.

It's dated 1781, on the 1st side around the outside near the edge is as follows : RHILIPPVS + D +G + HISPANIARVM. In the centre is a coat of arms.. a shield with a crown at the top, small icons of birds, castles and lions on the shield itself. + at left of shield & at the right is + .

M 8

F +

+

Other side ( dated side ), around the outside is as follows : ET + INDIARVM + REX + 1781 + In the centre a leaf shaped emblem divided into 4 sections, a castle in top left section, a Lion in top right and the same in bottom sections only in reverse.

Has anyone seen anything like it on this planet before?

Any info greatly appreciated

Many thanx

Mitch.

[Emperor Oli 0]

It has worked but the pic's a bit dodgy. Well it's Spanish, King PhilipI think. We'd need someone with a copy of Krause to tell you more

[Geoff T 3]

If it's 1781 it can't be Philip I, who was King of Spain much earlier. In 1781 the King of Spain was Charles (Carlos) III - which opens ups a number of possibilities.

Geoff

[Chris Perkins 223]

I think you should re photograph/scan it, either the forum software has a problem or the image is corrupt.

[william 0]

That picture is very interesting, i would call it modern art!!

[william 0]

I don't know, there seems to be someting wrong with either the image, or my computer!!

[Chris Perkins 223]

Yeah, the coins rubbish, but how much for the picture?!

(I don't know if the coin really is rubbish, that was a joke!)

[Emperor Oli 0]

If it's 1781 it can't be Philip I, who was King of Spain much earlier.

No, Geoff, to quote G W Bush you "misunderestimate me", it was a typo it meant to say "Philip I think" as opposed to "PhilipI think"

[PAUL.J 0]

A better picture would be good as going on a description alone is quite difficult. I am stepping well out of my field but I do know a little about Spanish Colonial coins.

The date of 1781 is really weird. As Geoff has said, Charles III was on the Spanish throne until 1788 and coins from this period would have his name and titles.

The titles quoted are found on coins of Phillip II between 1586 - 1594. The legends quoted for the obverse and reverse are the same as those used on Atocha silver coins produced at mints at Potosi, Lima and Mexico City and can be translated as 'Phillip by the grace of God, King of Spain and the Indies.'

The 'leaf shaped emblem' divided into four sections with castles and lions is the crowned Spanish Coat of Arms. On coins known as 'pillar dollars' the letters MF would represent the initials of the assayers. I know that such initials are found on the coins of Manual de Leon and Francisco de la Pena y Flores who worked together between 1731-1754 and also Maniel de Lamas and Francisco Herrera who worked together 1788-1802. There may be others and neither of these ties in with the date on this coin? The number '8' denotes the denomination in spanish reales.

So, we have here what appears to be a Spanish Colonial silver 8 reales with a date that does not match the titles. Perhaps we have a fantasy piece, reproduction or forgery? A decent picture would probably help solve this little mystery!!

[william 0]

Don't you criticise that picture, I love it!!

[Emperor Oli 0]

Don't you criticise that picture, I love it!!

From a valuation point of view, it is as much use as perhaps..........a 1967 BU penny *cough cough cough*

[william 0]

Huh!!

[Emperor Oli 0]

1967 BU pennies are ubiquitous

[Sylvester 15]

1967 BU pennies are ubiquitous

There a damn sight more frequently encountered than anything that's just ubiquitous!

Can't move for tripping over the things...

[Emperor Oli 0]

Yes, a new word needs to be coined (geddit) for the un-rarity of them

[william 0]

...and we haven't even mentioned the amount of 1967 pennies below BU!!

Btw, do any of you think that berlinetta355 will ever be back on here to find out where this conversation's gone?

[TomGoodheart 373]

Oh damn! Anyone want a box of 1967 pennies?

JOKE! (It's a plastic bag an I got them going all the way back to 1961...)

Plus halfpennies? Thruppences?

OK I give up. I've a few farthings though - I cant remember who collects - any dates around 1946 wanted?

Oh yeah - I got a bag of BU 1971 pennies too - surely they must be even more ubiquitous!(??)

[Sylvester 15]

Oh yeah - I got a bag of BU 1971 pennies too - surely they must be even more ubiquitous!(??)

I see more 1971 2ps, although i believe more pennies were actually minted.

[william 0]

I get a 1971 penny in my change practically every day!!

[Geoff T 3]

Here's a nice story about 1967 pennies.

Last year I bought some coins and the seller threw in three uncirculated 1967 pennies as a freebie. In June I played in a performance of Elgar's "Enigma variations" where, in the penultimate variation, Elgar asks the timpanist to play the drums with the edge of two coins to evoke the rumble of a ship's engine. In the past the player would just produce two pennies from their pocket but these days there are no decimal coins which work so well, so I lent a couple of the 1967s to this particular timpanist and they worked a treat.

So they do have their uses!

G

[Emperor Oli 0]

So they do have their uses!

Well prove me wrong! One could also use them to prop up tables

[william 0]

Here's a nice story about 1967 pennies.

Last year I bought some coins and the seller threw in three uncirculated 1967 pennies as a freebie. In June I played in a performance of Elgar's "Enigma variations" where, in the penultimate variation, Elgar asks the timpanist to play the drums with the edge of two coins to evoke the rumble of a ship's engine. In the past the player would just produce two pennies from their pocket but these days there are no decimal coins which work so well, so I lent a couple of the 1967s to this particular timpanist and they worked a treat.

So they do have their uses!

G

Thats very interesting Geoff! Did you know that Elgar composed the "Enigma variations" by improvising at the piano?

[Emperor Oli 0]

...and did you also know they play Pachelbel's Canon in restaurants to make people eat slower?

[william 0]

...and did you also know they play Pachelbel's Canon in restaurants to make people eat slower?

Really? Such a beautiful tune, Pachelbel's Canon. Why do restaurants want to make people eat slower though?!