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Thread: Merchant countermarked Charles IIII Half Reale!

  1. #1

    Merchant countermarked Charles IIII Half Reale!

    Got out yesterday with Danny LaMontagne and hit a couple of sites. The first site was very remote, small, and probably not inhabited very long. Unfortunately, whoever lived there in the 1700's was probably dirt poor and left us no coins or buttons. He left nothing at all except for iron.

    The next site turned out to be much better. We visited a site that no doubt has been hit by countless detectors over the years. It's not off the beaten path and easily accessible We had already been detecting for six hours and I hadn't found anything at all. Danny had done better and had a few goodies to show for the day. He had also found a barn or perhaps a second cellar hole nearby. I had gotten tired of all the iron signals around the main hole so I ventured over to the "new" hole. Boom! I got my very first Spanish Silver! Not only that it is also countermarked! I called Danny on the phone as he had returned to the main site and told him I had something really good but I wanted him to confirm what I thought I had just dug. Danny came over and confirmed it. My very first Spanish silver coin is a Charles IIII Half Reale countermarked by a merchant (or maybe a silversmith?) After that, we both started detecting around the new hole and for the next hour the finds were popping out like crazy. It was fun and exciting! Thanks Danny!Name:  72169031_10214946023147673_5545870520890687488_n.jpg
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  2. #2
    Now that is pretty darn cool. I like those coins that have personality.
    Oldest find: 5,000 year old copper spearhead
    Oldest coin: 1699 William III halfpenny
    Purdiest coin: 1832 Capped Bust quarter
    Coolest find: USA button with blue threads still on shank

    "He who would search for pearls must dive below."

  3. #3
    Administrator del's Avatar
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    First Spanish silver !!!

    Congrats on a terrific and unique find Donnie , you've certainly paid your dues to earn that one and check it off your bucket list .
    "Honesty is an expensive gift ,
    so don't expect it from cheap people"

    XP Deus II , DFX ,TDI sl -

    Click here to view my finds album


  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by del View Post
    First Spanish silver !!!

    Congrats on a terrific and unique find Donnie , you've certainly paid your dues to earn that one and check it off your bucket list .

    Thanks Danny, and, thanks for the tip on how to clean it. I would have never thought of that and I am really super pleased with the result. It's perfect. I can't wait to see all of your finds cleaned up. You had an epic day too. Does this shirt make me look fat?Name:  71879854_10214942300254603_4559357717440888832_n.jpg
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  5. #5
    Administrator del's Avatar
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    "Phat"..... my friend with that coin you look very Phat
    "Honesty is an expensive gift ,
    so don't expect it from cheap people"

    XP Deus II , DFX ,TDI sl -

    Click here to view my finds album


  6. #6
    Elite Member Bucknut's Avatar
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    Awesome bucket lister! OD of course stands for "Ol' Donnie"
    Detectors I use: Minelab Equinox 900 & Manticore
    Favorite finds I have made:
    1,000+ silver coins
    92pcs of 1700's Trade Era Silver
    Copper Culture Indian Artifacts
    125+ War of 1812 Era buttons and relics
    My wife
    (probably should have started with that one)

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by del View Post
    "Phat"..... my friend with that coin you look very Phat


    Quote Originally Posted by Bucknut View Post
    Awesome bucket lister! OD of course stands for "Ol' Donnie"
    O.D - Original Donnie!
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  8. #8
    Congrats on your first Spanish silver!

    What an awesome Half Real. I love the counterstamp, it adds history to it. (And mystery.)

    I am curious about the cleaning method. It still looks very natural. Whatever you did worked perfectly.

    Good job!
    Lifetime totals:
    10 Large Cents, 415 Indian Heads, 2 Two Cent Pieces, 1 Capped Bust Half Dime, 1 Seated Half Dime, 10 Shield Nickels, 68 V Nickels, 124 Buffalo Nickels, 31 War Nickels, 16 Seated Dimes, 131 Barber Dimes, 405 Mercury Dimes, 249 Rosies, 4 Seated Quarters, 18 Barber Quarters, 20 Standing Liberty Quarters, 89 Silver Washingtons, 1 Seated Half, 3 Barber Halves, 16 Walking Liberty Halves

    YouTube Channel: Tony Two-Cent https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmz...RlHTBIU42bUORg

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Tony Two-Cent View Post
    Congrats on your first Spanish silver!

    What an awesome Half Real. I love the counterstamp, it adds history to it. (And mystery.)

    I am curious about the cleaning method. It still looks very natural. Whatever you did worked perfectly.

    Good job!

    Thanks! I'm trying to find information on the "O.D" countermark. At this point, I know it is listed in Brunk as a merchant countermark but the book is very expensive and I'm hoping one of my coin collector buddies has a copy. I would love to know why Brunk attributed the mark as a merchant.

    I have to give credit to Danny LaMontagne for the cleaning method. After the hunt, we were talking and Danny suggested that I use CLR to clean the coin. He said it would leave the coin a very nice, pleasing, gray color. That was EXACTLY what I wanted. I would have never thought to try it. I made a solution of 20 parts distilled water (overkill I know) and one part CLR. I gently cleaned the coin (to avoid scratching it) with a solution soaked Q-tip and I am extremely happy with the results. Thanks again, Danny! Here are some before pics showing how the dirt was on it like concrete.Name:  71239582_10214942301054623_5016206332085141504_n.jpg
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  10. #10
    Wonderful, Donnie!! Do you have any idea when the mark was put on it? Those are difficult to put a coil on but when you do they sound like magic! Huge congrats!
    On Instagram- oxshoedrew

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by OxShoeDrew View Post
    Wonderful, Donnie!! Do you have any idea when the mark was put on it? Those are difficult to put a coil on but when you do they sound like magic! Huge congrats!
    I'm doing my research now with the help from my friends. It looks like my coin was probably minted in Mexico as the assayer's mark is probably "TH." That would put the coin as minted sometime between 1803 - 1810 according to a chart I now have bookmarked. I can see "18" on the coin but not the last two digits. I'm thinking that the countermark was probably placed on the coin late in it's life before being lost. The coin looks like it circulated for decades. The countermark is listed in Brunk as a merchant countermark. Copies of Brunk now are very expensive. I'm hoping to find a coin collector who has a copy. I would love to know why Brunk lists it as a merchant countermark. It's odd to me because coins circulated widely and merchant countermarks were advertisements. I don't know why you would advertise with just your initials. I'm thinking (and I got this idea from Danny) that it may have been a silversmith that counterstamped the coin after it became worn from circulation to denote good silver. That's only my opinion and it disagrees, apparently, with Brunk.

    By the way, the coin was probably at least six inches down. It was just a sweet whisper.
    Last edited by Donnie B; 10-01-2019 at 07:32 PM.
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  12. #12
    Oh boy he is at it again...feeling hurter!
    Best finds GW Button and John Adams Cufflink.
    Trust in the Lord...

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by calabash digger View Post
    Oh boy he is at it again...feeling hurter!
    Feeling hurter! I've heard that in your videos before.
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