THIS SPANISH COLONIAL 1804 8 REAL FOUND NEAR TRIUNE, TN IS MOST LIKELY A PERIOD COUNTERFEIT. THIS IS VERY EXCITING AS THE 8 REALE WAS HEAVILY COUNTERFEITED IN THE YEARS OF IT’S PRODUCTION (1530′s-1850′s) AND IS MUCH MORE COLLECTIBLE THAN A REAL REALE.

THE REAL WAS COUNTERFEITED EITHER FOR WEIGHT OR FOR THE SILVER. ONE COUNTERFEITED FOR THE SILVER WAS CLAD IN SILVER AND ONE COUNTERFEITED FOR WEIGHT WAS MADE LESS THAN THE STANDARD 27.03 GRAMS. THE 8 REALE PIECE SHOWN IN THE PICTURE WEIGHS 22.9 GRAMS WHICH WOULD BE ENOUGH TO MAKE THE COUNTERFEITING OPERATION PROFITABLE AND YET FOOL THE PERSON UNKNOWINGLY TAKING THE COUNTERFEIT COIN. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE IF IT WAS MADE TOO LIGHT IT WOULD BE A GIVAWAY THAT IT WASN’T AN OFFICIAL COIN AS THE PEOPLE OF THE DAY WERE QUITE SKILLED AT TESTING THE WEIGHT OF A COIN IN THEIR HAND.