(1110) The Mexican Photo Album: Volume 3 Issue 11: Last Revision: 03/12/08
A Pictorial Study Of The Chihuahua Cap & Ray 8 Reales Styles
Notice the difference in the Cap & Rays on these four different styles. One might believe them to be the same until a side-by-side comparison is made. I personally believe each of the working dies used to make these coins was hand engraved, using a few segment punches. Note the rays on the four styles. The Style of 1831 and Style of 1832 rays are similar and much like the 8 Reales found on other mints’ coins. However, the ones found on the Style of 1833 and Style of 1834 are similar to each other, but much different than the earlier styles and are unique to the Chihuahua Mint. More importantly each variety (die) within the early years has other subtle differences.
While we find several different renderings for the Chihuahua Cap & Rays from 1831 to 1835, the unique eagle found on the Chihuahua 8 Reales from 1831 to 1838 appears to be made from a single punch. It is my opinion that once the Chihuahua Eagle (the punch included the eagle, snake and cactus only) was applied to a working die then the balance of the devices (legends, wreaths, water, etc.) were added to the individual die. This later application of the balance of the devices causes many interesting varieties. Here is what I believe appeared on this eagle punch:
FoxLair Variety# 8R-Ca-1831-1203b
Beginning in 1834 we find a new standardized (sic) Style of 1834 Cap that will be used until at least 1837 when the new Style of 1837 Cap is introduced. To date we have found this design only on the coins dated 1837. The Style of 1834 Cap may also have seen limited service in 1837 because there are reports of several specimens, including one in the Mike McCormick Collection. However, the McCormick Collection Sale had a single specimen (Lot#55) that was reported to be a Style of 1834, but wasn’t.
All (five) of the Chihuahua 1837 8 Reales we have seen so far have different eagle dies that appear to be hand punched and unique to 1837. We have seen three different cap dies; one has three sightings the other two-- one each. All three appear to be unique to 1837 because we see the Style of 1834 used again in 1838.
Dunigan & Parker state that the 1837 Chihuahua 8 Reales is the worse looking 8 Reales in the entire series with a single challenger, the Oaxaca 1858 8 Reales. For example: Note how egg shaped our specimen is.
During the production year of 1838 the Chihuahua Mint returns to a cap die that is very similar to the Style of 1834 Cap, but is slightly different, and we also find two die pairs that use the Style of 1837 Cap. However, a new flock of the Style of 1838 Eagles appear this year.
Major changes occurred at the Chihuahua Mint during 1839 when the Kelly & Company from Great Britain took over the lease of this mint. New dies were pressed into service that used a more traditional looking Cap & Rays and Mexican Eagle. One of theses lessees (John Potts) originally worked at the Guanajuato Mint and he was aware that Guanajuato was having new dies prepared at the Soho Mint in Birmingham England. Potts secured permission from the Guanajuato Mint to use dies very similar to theirs, so he made a trip to the Soho Mint and had dies prepared for Chihuahua that would be introduced in 1840.
The Chihuahua Style of 1869
The Chihuahua Style of 1869 dies began to be used during the 1868 production year and would be used until the Standardized Mexico City Style of 1887 were introduced during mid-year 1886.
Special Note: While the use of the full Standardized Mexico City Style of 1887 dies didn’t occur until mid-year 1886 we have discovered one specimen, FoxLair Variety Ca-1880-4201, that uses the Style of 1887 Eagle during 1880. Since late 1985, when I purchased this coin, I have looked high and low for another specimen, but as of yet I have never seen another example. The scarcity of this coin makes me think this may have been a trial strike to test the presses. But we may never have the correct and proper answer to why this eagle was used one time six years early.
The Chihuahua Style of 1887
One final word of caution about Chihuahua Cap & Ray 8 Reales. While we have pictured the many different styles of 8 Reales we have found in our research, keep in mind there may be others we haven’t seen yet. Also, based on our research, we have given you a beginning and ending year for these styles or designs that may be incorrect, but it is what we have found to be true so far. In order to make collecting even more interesting and confusing, we believe there may be many years where the Chihuahua Mint mixed several styles within a single year of 8 Reales production. Our reasoning is simple; as more detailed study is being done on the Chihuahua 8 Reales we are now discovering uncataloged Mules that use styles from different years on a single coin. Collecting Chihuahua 8 Reales can be a challenging endeavor for all collectors, especially those who love finding new and uncataloged varieties. Isn’t about time for you to start collecting them, now that you know a little more about them?