Expert: Brad Swain - 11/11/2009

Question
An elderly friend has two coins:
  l.  2003 Hologram Silver Eagle in case with certificate of authenticity from The Morgan Mint.
  2.  Carolus llll DEI GRATIA 1793 (with bust of man)
other side:  REPLICA HISPAN ET IND REX M 8R F M (with 4 section shield-crown on top of shield-a column on either side of shield)
He requested that I try to find what these are.  

Answer
Hi Jerry, the fist is a medal. If it has no denomination on it then it is a medal and not a coin. Many modern medals are often issued at highly inflated prices by companies that quickly disappear after a quick profit and any residual value is usually way less than the original issue price and worth is based on the precious metal content (probably 1 ounce of silver) and collector demand, if any. Many times, due to lack of documentation, no further info is able to be found. You may find similar pieces on Ebay.com or elsewhere on the Internet for comparison.
The second is a replica of a silver dollar sized Spanish-Mexican 8 Reales. That design features Spanish King Charles IV (1788-1808). The F and M are the Mexico City mint's assayers' initials. The Mexico City mintmark is an M with a small o over it. A genuine 8 Reales should weigh 27.067 grams and would contain .7868 of an ounce of silver. This clearly marked replica has no real collector value and is very likely not silver either.
You might also try a library for a copy of the Standard Catalog of World Coins for pictures, values and lots more interesting info.
The “Spanish Milled Dollar” and its fractions were the principal currency through the early 1800s in U.S. everyday circulation and were legal tender as late as 1857.
You might find similar pieces on Ebay.com for comparison. These sites are also a great info source:
http://carlclegg.com/pillars/design.html .
http://www.coinsite.com/content/faq/8RealesMilledPillar.asp .
Brad