help with coin ID

[Guest Steve Bachman]

Hi,

I am trying to ID a coin from my grandmother's estate. I am fairly certain it is British. On the "head" side it says "CAROLUS III DEI GRATIA"...date is 1778. On the tail side, it says "HISPAN ET IND REX 2R F F"

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Steve

[kuhli]

your coin is from Spain, 2 reales, from the reign of Carlos III. The FF is the mintmasters' initials, which should be from Mexico City mint. (there should be a funny looking M with a small o directly above it)

does the reverse look like this??

[Geordie582]

kuhli. Have you come across over stamping of Spanish coins? I have a 5 pesetas of Amadeo that is over-stamped with a small crowned G.P. on the neck of the ruler. I don't think it is a collectors mark as it looks too 'official'.

[Geordie582]

Amadeo I

Just thought a picture would help! The light is because it is in a 2x2

[kuhli]

kuhli. Have you come across over stamping of Spanish coins? I have a 5 pesetas of Amadeo that is over-stamped with a small crowned G.P. on the neck of the ruler. I don't think it is a collectors mark as it looks too 'official'.

I can't find a listing for that particular coin to be c/s, but the stamp itself is "official", for the Azores Islands (GP="Governo Portugues")

edit to add: very nice piece!

Edited November 13, 2005 by kuhli

[Guest Steve Bachman]

Kuhli,

That is it! Thank you very much!!!

Steve

[Geordie582]

Thanks kuhli, I thought it was interesting when I bought it - in a Spanish market.

How come Governo Portugues on a spanish coin?

Edited November 13, 2005 by Geordie582

[kuhli]

How come Governo Portugues on a spanish coin?

Although the Azores were a Portuguese colony, it was also an international port used by Trans-Atlantic ship traffic, which meant that a lot of various coinage circulated. My suspicion is that the local authorities (which were probably agents of the Portuguese crown) counter-stamped whatever coins were being circulated. By doing this, and making only "counter-stamped" coinage acceptable as legal, they can effectively create a local coinage without having to actually go through the process of refining the metals, striking the new coins, and distributing them while withdrawing everything else. With only the "counter-stamped" coinage being accepted, you also control the amount of currency in circulation.

[Geordie582]

Now that is very interesting and not something I would have thought of! Thank you once more.