Spanish Piece of Eight FT Type Mexico 1802

Description

Denomination: Piece of eight, Silver 8 Reales

Period: Charles IV, Spanish Colonies

Date: 1802

Origin: Mexico City mint 

Condition: VF+

Obverse: Charles IV bust in classic robes and laureate, right, CAROLVS IIII DEI GRATIA, date below

Reverse: Crowned arms of Spain with two ornate pillars either side, HISPAN ET IND REX (M monogram Mexico City mint) 8R F T

Size and Weight: 39mm, 27g

References: KM#107

Features and Provenance:

There has never been a coin with so much folklore attached to it. This 8 Reales coin from the reign of Charles IV of Spain was known as a Spanish dollar, but also more evocatively, as a ‘piece of eight,’ with all the romantic tales of Pirate treasure that this entails. This coin, and those before it, were so popular that they were the first global currency throughout the Spanish Empire. With the British colonists not able to mint coins themselves and always running out of British coinage, they used the Spanish coins instead as they were very similar in weight of silver and were sometime overstruck. This coin was minted in 1802 and could have been in the hands some of the infamous pirates who operated in the Gulf of Mexico around this time, yes, this is a remote possibility and could even have been in the hands of the legendary Jean Lafitte after  a resurgence of piracy at this time.

Condition Summary. This varies with the age of coin and there are grades between

Uncirculated (U). As struck with no traces of wear

Extremely Fine (EF). Very slight traces of wear, all parts of legend etc present, visible and clear

Very Fine (VF). Some signs of wear on the higher parts of the relief. all parts of legend etc present, but maybe worn

Fine (F). Wear on the coin and parts of legend etc may be missing or not visible