Expert: Brad Swain - 1/7/2010

Question
Hi Brad - I have a Mexican coin with a sunburst on one side and an eagle with snake on the other and says 8RP1 1861 PS 10Ds 20Gs. Woule this be of any value?

Answer
Hi Deborah, It appears to be a silver dollar sized Mexican 8 Reales. The P and S are the mint's assayers' initials. The San Luis Potosi mintmark is a P with a small i. It should weigh 27.07 grams and would contain .7858 of an ounce of silver. Collector value depends on date, number minted and condition of a coin, including amount of wear, any dents, scratches or cleaning. This one may be worth about $15 with heavy wear to maybe $60 with moderate wear to possibly $90 with light wear. You might also try a library for a copy of the Standard Catalog of World Coins for pictures, values and lots more interesting info.
You might find similar pieces on Ebay.com for comparison.
Counterfeits and fantasy pieces mass produced in East Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe abound of Chinese and U.S. coins, and many other countries'.
Weighing it may be the best telltale of its genuineness.
Fakes: http://reviews.ebay.com/Fake-8-4-and-2-Reales-coins-from-ASIA-BEWARE_W0QQugidZ10...
Chinese counterfeit factory: http://coins.about.com/od/worldcoins/ig/Chinese-Counterfeiting-Ring/Chinese-Fake... .
Brad