Special Note: Because of the length of this portion (8 Reales and 8 Escudos) of our study and the large number of scans required to adequately convey these Eagles, this part of our study will broken into multiple parts.
We begin the second part of our series about the Eagles of the Mexican Republic by looking at some “thought to be” unique Eagles created by the individual mints for their 8 Reales and 8 Escudos. While many of the Republican mints used only matrixes, hubs, or dies from Mexico City to manufacture 8 Reales and 8 Escudos, some didn’t. These unique branch mint eagles are our subjects this time.
The easiest way to approach the 14 Republican mints is to look at each one as an individual operation so let’s give you a quick recap to begin our study:
Alamos: Other than for the Style of 1870 “Missing Leg” Eagle found on the 8 Escudos from 1870, all of the Alamos 8 Escudo Eagles appear to use matrixes very similar to those used in Mexico City. Most of the 8 Reales Eagles are somewhat similar to their counterparts from Mexico City except for the Style of 1877 “Hooked Beak” Eagle that appears to be “Unique” to Alamos from 1877 to 1882.
Catorce: All of the Eagles used at this mint seemed to be made with Mexico City matrixes or dies.
Chihuahua: The Chihuahua Mint used many styles of Eagles, some of which were “Unique” to this mint. These “Unique” Chihuahua Eagles began with the very first year (1831) of production 8 Reales and continued until 1840 when the Chihuahua Soho Style dies were introduced. On the other hand the 8 Escudos used only the Chihuahua Soho Style from 1841 until 1868 when we see a conversion to the later Mexico Matrixes.
Culiacan: Many of the early 8 Reales and 8 Escudos used Eagle matrixes supplied by the Mexico City Mint with a few changes, others were used that were products “Unique” only of the Culiacan and Guadalupe y Calvo mints.
Durango: From its first 8 Reales until Durango ceased to make 8 Escudos in 1870 we see many “Unique” Eagles used for the coinage of this mint.
Estado de Mexico: All of the Eagles used by this mint appear to have been made with Mexico City Style matrixes or dies.
Guadalajara: While most 8 Reales and 8 Escudos appear to use Mexico City Style matrixes or dies this isn’t the case as the Guadalajara Mint used “Unique” Eagles on all coinage until mid-year 1844 when we see a conversion to the Standard Mexico City Style of 1843 for the 8 Reales.
Guadalupe y Calvo: During its first (1844) year of operation we see only Mexico City Style Eagles, but in 1845 there is a shift to many “Unique”strange looking Eagles that continue to be used to some degree until 1847 and 1848 when again see Eagles similar to the Mexico City replicas.
Guanajuato: This mint used many “Unique” and different Eagles beginning with its first year of production for both the 8 Reales and 8 Escudos and didn’t convert to Mexico City Style Eagles until much later after using both Soho Gold and Silver Style dies.
Hermosillo: Even though one of the later Republican Mints to start production, we still see several interesting early Eagles in 1861 and 1862, but in 1863 we see Mexico City Style of 1843 Eagles begin to appear on the 8 Reales.
Mexico City: It appears that most of the early Mexico 8 Reales Eagles, until 1830, used hand punched matrixes or dies. I suspect that at least partial hubs were used after this and in 1843 when we see the first truly standardized Eagles appear on the 8 Reales. Late in the Mexico City 8 Reales series we see a few old dies from the Alamos, Guadalajara, and Guanajuato mints pressed into service. However, all of these 8 Reales, I’ve personally seen, used styles of Eagles that originated in the Mexico City Mint. I wonder if these dies could have been made in the Mexico City Mint and simply not been shipped to the branch or state mints, and were later pressed into service in an emergency rather than to take the time to make new dies?
The Mexico City 8 Escudo Eagles seem to use hand punched matrixes until well into 1840s and we will cover them in depth when we attack the Mexico City Mint in a later article.
Oaxaca: From the beginning of minting operations in 1858 we see many “Unique” Eagles used in the Republican coinage of the Oaxaca Mint. Some of these unique 8 Reales Eagles continue in use until at least 1872, even though we see the Mexico City Standardized Eagle Style of 1843 used on a few 8 Reales in the early 1860s. The Oaxaca 8 Escudo gold coinage also uses several “Unique” Eagles that are very nearly like those found on the 8 Reales from 1858 until 1860, but then we see something new and different again. Even in the gold decimal coinage we find several unique Eagles for the Oaxaca Mint.
San Luis Potosi: From 1827 until 1859 we see many “Unique” San Luis Potosi Eagles used for the 8 Reales. However, during 1860 the Mexico City Standardized Eagle Style of 1843 begins to appear on some 8 Reales.
Zacatecas: The “Unique” Eagles of Zacatecas begin in the first (1825) year of minting 8 Reales and continue until at least mid-year 1845, when we see a conversion to the Mexico City Standardized Eagle Style of 1843 matrixes. Currently all of the escudo gold coinage appears to use Mexico City matrixes, however there are some differences in the gold decimal coinage that appear to be unique to Zacatecas.
At this time I have found 11 different Eagles for the Alamos Mint's 8 Reales and three for the 8 Escudos. However, there might be a fly in the ointment, as there are several missing or at least unseen by me 8 Escudos dated 1865, 1867, and 1871 to 1873 that could possibly have different or even unknown Eagles appearing on them.
The Alamos 8 Reales Eagles:
The Alamos-Mexico City 8 Reales Eagles Style of 1864: Most Mexican 8 Reales collectors, dealers, catalogers and numismatists believe there is a single Mexican Eagle seen this first year I beg to differ with them. I have found the second Eagle that Dunigan & Parker mention and note as the Eagle Style of 1865 also has its origins in 1864 too. Therefore, I give these different birds of prey the following classifications:
1868: The second and third Alamos Eagles make their appearance in 1868. The first Alamos Style of 1868 Type A that I have nicknamed the "Bar Snake" because of the numerous "bars" used to depict the snake across the Eagle's breast. The second is the Alamos Style of 1868 Type B that is designated the "X Snake" Eagle, this time we see a series of small "xxxx" on snake's body.
1869: Again this year we see some 8 Reales the styles of 1868 Eagles, but also the introduction of a new Alamos Style of 1869 Eagle that is slightly different. This new Alamos Style of 1869 Eagle has been nicknamed the “Bug Eye” Eagle because of its unusually large eye.
1875: This year we see another new Eagle, the Alamos Style of 1875 that will be used for only two years because in mid-year 1876 another new Eagle land on the Alamos 8 Reales.
1876: Something dramatic must have happened in the Alamos Mint this year. We find 8 Reales with the old Style of 1875 Eagles and the introduction of a new Alamos Style of 1876 Eagle that is evidently used for only part of this one year, at least I've never seen it on any other date. I'm sorry I don't have a scan of this very rare bird as the only one I have ever seen was on J.B. Parker's specimen that was Lot#3017 of his collection.
1877: The madness continues in Alamos as we see another Eagle introduced this year, the Alamos Style of 1877 "Hooked Beak" Eagle. This Eagle will become a standard and is used until 1883.
1883: We one more Alamos Eagle before this mint converts to the Mexico City Standardized 8 Reales dies. The Alamos Style of 1883 Eagle that will be used until the end of 1886.
1887: The final Alamos 8 Reales Eagle is the Alamos Style of 1887, which is the Mexico City Standardized Style of 1874 Eagle. These style dies will be used until the Alamos Mint closes in 1895.
The Alamos 8 Escudos Eagles:
1864: The Alamos-Mexico City 8 Escudos Eagle Style of 1864 is used from 1864 to 1866 when a new Eagle is introduced.
1866: A new slightly different Eagle is introduced this year, the Alamos Style of 1866 that appears to be used only this one year.
1870: The is some question as to the year of introduction of this new Alamos 8 Escudos Eagle. Therefore, I have elected to call this new Alamos Eagle the Style of 1870, which I have nicknamed “Missing Leg” Eagle.
1871 to 1873: It currently appears that all Alamos 8 Escudos minted during these years used the Style of 1864 8 Escudo Eagle, however only the 1872 is currently verified.
The Eagles of the Chihuahua Mint:
At this time I have found only seven Eagles for the Chihuahua 8 Reales and two Eagles for the 8 Escudos, making the Chihuahua Mint one of the smallest flocks of Eagles for a major Mexican Republic mint.
The Chihuahua 8 Reales Eagles:
1831: The Chihuahua 8 Reales Eagle of 1831 ‘The Short Squat Square Tail Chihuahua Eagle’- (Unique to 1831)
1832: The Chihuahua 8 Reales Eagle of 1832 ‘The Missing Chunk Tail Chihuahua Eagle’- (1832 to 1836)
1837: The Chihuahua 8 Reales Eagle of 1837 ‘The 9 Berry Eagle’- (Unique to 1837)
1838: The Chihuahua 8 Reales Eagle of 1838 ‘The 5 Berry Eagle’- (Unique to 1838)
1839: The Chihuahua 8 Reales Eagle of 1839 ‘The Long Neck Chihuahua Eagle’- (1839 to mid-year 1840)
1840: The Chihuahua Soho Style 8 Reales Eagle of 1840 (Mid-year 1840 to mid-year 1868)
1868: The Chihuahua-Mexico City Style 8 Reales Eagle of 1868 (Mid-year 1868 to 1895)
The Chihuahua 8 Escudos Eagles:
1841: The Chihuahua Soho Style 8 Escudo Eagle- (1841 to 1868)
1869: The Chihuahua-Mexico City Style 8 Escudo Eagle- (1869 to 1871)
This ends the first article for the “Unique” Eagles of the Mexican Republic Mints, and if you would like us to continue this series of articles be sure to let us know. Covering the “Unique” Eagles for the 8 Reales and 8 Escudos will take several more articles and if our readers don't consider it important we won't waste any more time on this specialized area?