+
 
WORLD CROWNS      Mexico - Cap and Rays 8 Reales 1824 to 1897
 
      At this writing, I'm in the process of liquidating a 650  + piece collection that my father started 25 years earlier. In the course of ollecting these pieces, I was struck by the variations in color, die varieties, color, triking quality, etc.

    This sample I retained is not a comprehensive, but illustrates some of the variety of this series.

   Varieties.Striking.Legends.Anti-counterfeiting.Counterfeits.
    As, Ca; Cn, Ce. Do, EoMo, Ga. GC.  Go. Ho, Mo,  Oa,  Pi,  Zs.


     The Mexico Cap and Rays 8 Reales was the workhorse of Oriental trade succeeding the pillar and portrait 8 Reales in the mid-19th century.

 Often, these pieces acquired "chop" marks (sometimes many) which are considered stamps of approval by the merchants who accepted these pieces in trade.

      The series, is unique in its breadth of dates, mints, assayers and varieties. At this writing, I'm in the process of liquidating a 650  + piece family collection that my father started 25 years earlier. I retained a sampling of the variations.


   This is not a comprehensive, but illustrates some of the variety of this series.
   Varieties.Striking.Legends.Anti-counterfeiting.Counterfeits.
    As, Ca; Cn, Ce. Do, EoMo, Ga. GC.  Go. Ho, Mo,  Oa,  Pi,  Zs.
 1853 ZsOM 8R with distinctive chop mark

Counterfeit 8 reales.
The broad variety of counterfeits in this series runs the gamut in terms of design, composition and place of origin including:
- Base metal and debased silver coins struck for a profit in Mexico or elsewhere;
- “Full” composition struck in the United States for Oriental trade;
- Dies fabricated from “official” elements, such as the eagle;
- Dies which “escaped” from the mint with a complete date;
- Dies which “escaped” from the mint the three digits, the fourth being added by the counterfeiter;
- Coins made in Mexico;
- Coins made in the United States.
This piece dated 1834 Zs MO was in my collection for years, presumed genuine. I now have it on good authority that this piece was identified by John Leonard Riddell (Riddell # 237) in  his 1845 work “A Monograph of the Silver Dollar,: Good and Bad. Illustrated with Facsimile Figures”.
1834 Do RM  Riddell # 371.


1832 Do RM  Riddell # 365.

 1834 Zs OM 8 reales  (Riddell # 237)
  I think this one looks better than "the real thing" (see below)


1844 Go PM



1831 Zs OM Riddel # 223 C
- Com temporary counterfeit made in the USA



1832 Ds RL -   Riddell 415
 This base metal  counterfeit is one of the more obvious fakes .
(Formerly in my collection - now in a  study collection.)


 A more convincing example of the above


1829 Zs OV- -   Riddell 221
Contemporary counterfeit made in the USA
(Formerly in my collection - - now in a  study collection.)






Anti-counterfeiting

   Beginning in 1867, the Mexico City mint added two "dragon teeth" below the cap to make it more difficult to accurately copy the die.

   In 1868, Mexico City mint began producing dies for other for the Chihuahua   In 1887 the standardization of  the dies was extended to the remaining active mints:  1868: Ca; 1881 Ho, Oa;
1887:  Cn, Do, Ga,  Go, Pi,  Zs. 

     The "dragon teeth" appeared in the remaining   mints with the "standardized" dies.

    According to Dunigan & Parker (1),  a pair of official dies escaped from the Durango mint in the late 1840s, and was being used to produce base metal counterfeit 8 reales. Their response was to identify the replacement dies by inserting the initials (B,  G & Y) at various places in the rays, and occasionally on the eagle.

     This 1848 Do CM piece illustrates  a "B" and "G" in the rays.




(1) Dunigan and Parker: Resplandores, Publisher: Superior Stamp and Coin, 1997   

  As, Ca; Cn, Ce. Do, EoMo, Ga. GC.  Go. Ho, Mo,  Oa,  Pi,  Zs.
Variations in Legends 
    I illustrate here several punctuation styles from the early Guanajuato mint of 1830 (period), 1830-43 (3 periods)
    and 1831 (2 stars and 1 period) and Chihuahua 1844 (3 large periods).

  As, Ca; Cn, Ce. Do, EoMo, Ga. GC.  Go. Ho, Mo,  Oa,  Pi,  Zs.

    Variations occuring during the use of the die.


    A die clash occurs when the dies come together without  a  planchet between. If done with sufficient force, the obverse die leaves  a raised impression on the reverse and vice-versa.

    The clash, is typically not seen on the cap side due to the density of the design.
 
       The "sunburst" clash has occurred on a number of occasions in this series including 1840 Do RM,
1837 Go PJ, 1854 Go PF, 1868 Do  CP, and 1835 Do RM

  This variation appears on perhaps half of the pieces struck from the 'European die' of the Do mint. I suspect that these may have been subject to high striking pressure to bring out the distinctive features of that design.





 Die decay.     (1859 Ca JC)
 
        At first glance, the pieces at the right would appear to represent a problem with striking or the planchet. However, finding two similar pieces implicates the die.

      Somehow, in the course of use, the die suffered progressive deterioration in the legends, while preserving  the center.

    Incidentally, the date is identifiable by process of elimination: JC (Joaquin Campa) was assayer from 1856 to 1866. The 3rd digit in the date has a flat top, therfore is a 5.  The last digit is plainly rounded at the top would be an 8 or 9, but for the fact that the "8" used in the 1858 had a distincitive cross above, as opposed to a non-rounded top. QED 1859 !!

Dunigan notes that this issue is "almost always well struck".
   




 Die Varieties
                  As, Ca; Cn, Ce. Do, Ga. GC.  Go. Ho, Mo,  Oa,  Pi,  Zs.

    Until the standardization of the dies in the late 19th century, illustrated on the background image, basic design features such as the Cap and Rays, and eagle were highly individualized from mint to mint and within each of the 14 mints. One could collect dozens of varieties. I illustrate several.

             


         



   

     
      This list is organized around varieties identified by Dunigan & Parker "Resplandores".                 

    As, Ca; Cn, Ce. Do, EoMo, Ga. GC.  Go. Ho, Mo,  Oa,  Pi,  Zs.
   D&P notes "standardization" of the dies. To my (untrained?) eye, there may have been  a second competing standard  See Cn 1883-1886; Do 1882-1886;  Ga 1874-1886;  Go 1873-1886; Ho 1881-1882; Oa 1887-1881; Pi 1873-1887; Zs 1882-1886.

Alamos Mint A , As
1864
1865-1867
1868-1875
1876
1877-1882
1883-1886
1887-1895 



1868-1875 1869 A DL
 1876 1876 As DL
1877-1882 1879 As DL - ex Amon Carter
  As 1883-1885  1885 As ML
 		1887-1895 - See standardization of the dies
1891 As ML
As, Ca
Cn, Ce. Do, EoMo, Ga. GC.  Go. Ho, Mo,  Oa
 Pi,  Zs
Catorce Mint CE 1863
 According to D & P, the die style for Catorce was
similar to neighboring San.Luis Potosi.		 1863 Ce  ML  (Formerly in my collection)
As, Ca
Cn, Ce. Do, EoMo, Ga. GC.  Go. Ho, Mo,  Oa
 Pi,  Zs
Chihuahua  Ca
1831-1832
1832-1833
1834-1838

1839
1840-1868
1868-1895 
 The distinctive broad eagle was preserved from
 1831-1838. 1833-1838  featured a unique cap with thick rays.

The issues of 1839 onward constituted a complete break  from the dies of the earlier years.


  The early years of the CA mint feature a broad eagle, strikingly different from the narrow design eventually adopted.
1831 - 1832
1834-1838 1835 Ca MR
1834-1838  1836 Ca AM - According to D&P ""not" a distinct type


 1840-1868 1844 Ca RG / 1854 Ca RG
 1868-1895 1870 Ca MM See standardization of the dies
Culican  Cn, C
1846-1853
1853 Sonora cap
1854 Sonora  cap &  eagle
1854-1857
1858-1870
1873-1874

 1874-1877
1878-1881
1881-1884
1885  C/Cn
1885 'crude'
1886
1887-1897
 1846-1853 1851 C CE (plugged)

 1854-1857 1856 C CE

1854-1857 1857 C CE  - new  eagle punch

1858-1870 1860 C PV
 1873-1874
1873 C  MP Formerly in  my collection
1874-1877   1876  Cn CG

 1878-1881  1878  Cn JD


 1881-1884   1882 Cn AM

1885  C/Cn  1885 Cn AM
18861886 Cn AM

 1887-1895 - See standardization of the dies
1891 Cn AM
As, Ca Cn, Ce. Do, EoMo, Ga. GC.  Go. Ho, Mo,  Oa Pi,  Zs
Durango  Do
1825-1827
1827-1829
1830-1832
1832-1842
1842-1849
1849-1850
1850-1855
1855-1856
1857-1864
1865-1870
1873-1882
1882-1886
1887-1895		  





1849 Do JMR Formerly in my collection
1852 Do JMR Formerly in my collection
,
 1825-1827 1825 Do RL
 1827-1829 1828 Do RL Formerly in my collection
1830-1832  1831 Do RM


 1832-1842  "French" die - 1836 Do RM
   Perhaps the most  distinctive designs of the 8R series.


 		1842-1849 1849 Do CM (Y in ray at 7:00)
1842-1849 1848 Do CM (with B& G in rays)

 1849-1850
1849 Do JMR Formerly in my collection
 1850-1855
1852 Do JMR Formerly in my collection
1855-1856  1856 Do CP
 1857-1864  1861 Do CP
 1865-1870  1870 Do CP
1873-1882  1874 Do CM / 1875 Do CM - Wide planchet)
 1882-1886  1882 Do JP


 		1887-1895 See standardization of the dies 1893  Do ND
Estado de Mexico  EoMo
1828-1830  Die similar to contemporary Mo die
,		 1829  Eo  Mo  -(Formerly in my collection)
Guadalajara,  Ga
1825-1845
1845-1870
1873-1874
1874-1886
1887-1895
,		 1825-1845 1837 Ga JG / 1841 GA MC

 
 1845-1870 1859 Ga JG
1873-1874 1873  Ga IC
 1874-1886  1878 Ga JA
1887-1895 1891 Ga JS  See standardization of the dies
Guadalupe Y Calvo GC
1844-1852 Die similar to contemporary Mo die
,		 1844-1852 1848 GC MP

 1845-1846 1845 GC MP (Formerly in my collection)
  Guanajuato  Go
1825-1826
1826-1828
1828-1829
1829-1830
1830-1843
1843-1848
1848-1853
1854-1870
1873-1886
1887-1897 		  Up to appoximately 1853, many of the  Guanajuato pieces exhibited  a feature which is not mentioned in  D&P: "Scales" along the snake body.

 The "scales" were inconsistant within D&P;s recognized die varieties. They appear to be present as follows:
1825-1829 Scales Absent
1829-1830 Scales Present
1830-1843 Scales Absent
1843-1853 Scales Present in most cases, exceptooms encountered: 1843,1847,1848.
"Scales" also appear in Do ('39,
'49) &  Ga issues
1826-1828  1826 Go IJ
 1828-1829 1829 Go MJ
1829-1830 1830 Go MJ (Scales on snake)
 1830-1843 1831 Go MJ  2 Stars/ Dot Scarce variety one year only


 1830-1843 1842 Go PJ (3 dots following date)/1837 SB
1843 -1848  1843 Go PM

1848-1853  1849 Go PF

 1854-1870  1862 Go YE / PF
1873-1886  1881 Go SB
 1887-1897 1896  Go RS / 1891 as  ML
See standardization of the dies


 1887-1897 1896  Go RS / 1891 as  ML
See standardization of the dies





Hermosillo   Ho
1861-1862
1862
1862-1863
1863-1866
1866-1875
1876-1880
1881-1882
1881-1895		 Sonora eagle
,



1862-1863  1863 Ho FM - formerly in my collection
 1863 - 1866 1865 Ho FM - formerly in my collection
2
1866-1875 1874  Ho PR
1876-1880 1880 Ho JA
 1881-1882 1882 Ho JA o "after J
 1881-1895 1892 Ho FG See standardization of the dies
Mexico City  Mo
1824-1847
1848-1863
1867-1897
 		 1824-1847   1824 Mo JM **
 1824-1826 1825  Mo JM - not recognized by D&P as a separate type - but the eagle looks quite  distinct to me.
1845 Mo MH


 1848 - 1863 1860 Mo FH & 1863 Mo CH

It was hard to let go of my second  nicest piece from this period.
See standardization of the dies
1867-1897 1867 MoCH
Oaxaca  O, Oa, OA
1858
1859
1860
1861-1864
1861-1862
1863
1867-1869
1873
1874-1876
1877-1881
1881-1893

   The 1869 piece, below, from the Oaxaca mint was minted in the third year of this eagle, which featured prominent cross hatching on the breast. I particularly like the lettering style in the legends, which is at once bold, while showing imaginative curves in the 6 and 9 of the date.
 1859 Oa AE formerly in my collection
 		1860 Oa AE
1861- 1862 1861 Oa AE  formerly in my collection
 1863 O AE
 1861- 1864  1863 O FR
1867-1869  1869 O AE

 1874-1876 1873-1886  1874 Oa AE
 1877-1881 1880 Oa AE



1881-1893 See standardization of the dies
San.Luis Potosi. Pi
1827-1839
1840-1842
1842-1856
1857-1858
1857-1863
1863-1864?
1867-1870
1873-1887
1887-1893
 
,		 1827-39 1828 Pi JS 

** To me. eagle just looks different from the later years of "this' type.
 1827-1839  1838 PI JS - 1833 Pi JS **
** Note differences  in cap size & placement and eagle tail
1836  Pi JS1840-1842-1841 Pi JS 

1842-1846 1843 Pi AM
 1857-1863 1862 Pi RO



1863-1864 1863 Pi RO

 1867-1870 1869  Pi PS
 1873-1887 1880 Pi MR Ex Amon Carter / 1884 Pi MH
1887-1893 1890 Pi  MR See standardization of the dies

Zacatecas  Z, Zs

1825-1842
1842-1845
1845-1882
1882-1886
1887-189
,		 1825-1842     1834 Zs OM


 1839-1845 1841 Zs OM - The 8 reales from these years demonstrate a clear difference in the  application of the denticles. This process was indpendent of the design elements and is not recognized by D&P.
1842-1845 1843 Zs OM
 1845-1882 1860/59 Zs MO

  		1882-1886 1883  Zs  JS



 1887-1897
See standardization of the dies