(10) The Mexican Photo Album: Volume 1 Issue 1: Last Revision: 10/12/04

A South Texas Mexican Type Collection- Part 1

For our premier issue of Mexican Coin Magic we contacted several of our Mexican coin collecting buddies to kick-start this section.  The photos and coins here are really something to see! Why don’t you get busy with your camera, scanner and pin to show us what you have? But for now just take a few minutes to enjoy what is here and just think about what you might see next time? 

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The first fifteen specimens we have to share with you are some very nice coins from Dave Busse’s “Type Collection” some are considered to be among the Finest Known from the Colonial Period…

Carlos y Juana Early Series 1R Assayer P, 3.38 grams. Assayer Initial and mintmark on Obverse. Weight 3.38 grams. Uncataloged by Nesmith. Legend has IOHAN (no A) words are separated by what Nesmith calls lozenges (u). Reverse has PLVS between Pillars. Denomination is one dot (some suggest it is a centering dot). A very difficult coin to find, even more so in High Grade.  Lot # 275 in Richard Long Sale #94. 

Carlos y Juana Early Series 2R Assayer P, 6.81 grams. Assayer Initial and mintmark on Obverse. Nesmith 25a. Obverse legend KAROLVS ET IOHANA R (both names complete but not the full REGES). Reverse has PLVS between Pillars. Denomination is two dots. A very difficult coin to find, and more difficult in High Grade. Lot # 276 in Richard Long Sale 94. 

Carlos y Juana Early Series 4R Assayer P, 13.56 grams Assayer and mintmark on Obverse Nesmith 26b. Obverse legend KARLOVS ET IOHANA RE (both names complete but not the full REGES). Reverse has PLVS between the Pillars. Denomination is Arabic 4 above PLVS. Not as hard to find as before the hoards surfaced in 1996 and later, but very difficult in this condition, especially without corrosion. Lot # 278 in Richard Long Sale 94.

Carlos y Juana 1R, Late Series Assayer A, Nesmith 56, 3.35 grams. Obverse Legend reads CAROLVS ET IOHANA REGS, A/?, possibly A/G. Reverse Legend reads HISPANAIRVM ET INDIARVM. Nearly round and well struck. Denomination is one dot (some think it may be a centering dot). Scarce Assayer and a very difficult coin to find in high grade. Lot # 282 in Richard Long Sale 94.

Carlos y Juana 4R, Late Series, Assayer G, Nesmith 50c, 13.62 grams. Obverse Legend reads CARLOVS ET IOHANA REGES. Assayer Initial softly struck. Reverse Legend reads HISPANIARVM ET INDIARVM (no REGES). Denomination is an Arabic 4 below SVL between the Pillars. Very well struck, full legends and actually round. Common coin in uncommon condition. Lot # 288 in Richard Long Sale 94.

Carlos y Juana 4R, Late Series, Assayer G, Nesmith 50a, 13.46 grams. Obverse Legend reads CHARLOVS ET IOHANA REGES. Assayer Initial softly struck. Reverse Legend reads HISPANIARVM ET INDIARVM (no REGES). Denomination is an Arabic 4 below SVL between the Pillars. Very well struck, full legends and actually round. Common coin in uncommon condition. Lot # 287 in Richard Long Sale 94.

Felipe III 8R 1609/8/7 Mo A, weight 27.16 grams. Non-salvage piece. Unlisted overdate. Full four digit overdate, mintmark, and assayer initial. PH and DEI G of obverse legend are easily readable, Shield is 95% full. Reverse legend has partial ISP and full ANIARVM of HISPANIARVM and ARVM REX of INDIARVM REX. We do not usually assign a grade to cobs preferring instead to describe how much of the mintmark, assayer’s initial and date are legible. We also prefer to describe the percentage of the shield and cross and what parts of the legends are legible as a way to discern the coin’s condition. Lot # 101 in Richard Long Sale 94.

Carlos III 8R 1764 Mo MF. CH BU, light toning. Exceptional condition for a Carlos III 8R. Lot # 110 in Richard Long Sale 94.

Fernando VI 4R 1757 Mo MM, CH BU, toned. Ex Norweb (she really had an eye for nice coins). All Pillar 4R are Extremely Rare in mint state. Lot # 315 in Richard Long Sale 94.

Carlos III 2R 1761 Mo M, CH UNC, Beautifully Toned. A relatively common coin in a very uncommon condition.  Lot # 319 in Richard Long Sale 94.

Carlos III 1 R 1762 Mo M, CH BU, Proof-like surfaces. Rare coin (see Gilboy M-2-37a, cinquefoils replace crosses above and below 2 & R [Shield side]) and even rarer condition. Lot # 317 in Richard Long Sale 94.

Felipe V ½R 1736 Mo MF, CH BU, brilliant surfaces, light toning. A relatively common coin in an uncommon condition. Lot # 305 in Richard Long Sale 94.

Felipe V 1E 1743/1 M^O MF 1 Escudo, GEM. Lot # 13854 in Heritage Auction 361 06/04/04 where they described it as “Superb brilliant UNC, possibly finest known of this attractive little type.” They also described it as “possibly 3/2” but it is my opinion after owning and studying the coin for more that 15 years that it was a 3/1 even though that is not particularly important. What is important is the condition.   

Carlos IIII 8R 1805 M^O TH, CH BU Proof-like. Ex Karon, ex Ortiz. Possibly Finest Known for the Type. Lot # 120 in Richard Long Sale 94.     

Fernando VII 4R 1821 M^O JJ, CH BU. Extremely difficult condition for a Draped Bust 4R. Lot # 351 in Richard Long Sale 94.

Have you enjoyed these wonderful Colonial Type Coins?  Would you like to see more of the Dave Busse Type Collection in a future issue?  If so let us know via email.

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