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Costa Rica, 8 reales, 1846 JB 2-reales counterstamp (Type V) with "8" countermark on a Mexico City,

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / World Coins - World (A-G) Start Price:7,000.00 USD Estimated At:10,000.00 - 20,000.00 USD
Costa Rica, 8 reales, 1846 JB 2-reales counterstamp (Type V) with  8  countermark on a Mexico City,
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This item SOLD at 2023 Nov 03 @ 13:28UTC-4 : AST/EDT
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Costa Rica, 8 reales, 1846 JB 2-reales counterstamp (Type V) with "8" countermark on a Mexico City, Mexico, cob 8 reales, 1731 (F), extremely rare, NGC Good details / test cut, c/s AU strong. KM-unl (host 47a). 26.90 grams Very thick host with minimal details visible but, by lucky chance, the date 1731 being among them. The central counterstamp, sharp and bold on both sides, is the same as is seen on the common 2 reales, and in fact the stamp bears that denomination explicitly, flanking the trunk of the iconic ceiba tree (above assayer initials JB for Juan Barth) that characterizes Central American coins of that period, as does the design of volcanoes under sun and rays on the other side, which shows the date 1846 at bottom, the legends reading REPUB. DE CENT. DE AMER. / HABILITADA EN COSTA RICA. On the higher denominations of 4 and 8 reales, however, this counterstamp is accompanied by an incuse countermark (note the difference, namely that a counterstamp is two-sided) showing either "4" or "8" (depending on the denomination) with "4R" or "8R" in relief in the center of the number, as authorized by decree on October 15, 1846, to be applied only on coins deemed of high enough quality. Most examples are holed, and those that are not typically have some kind of test mark on the edge (like we see here), just usually hidden in a crack. Significantly, KM does not list any Mexican host other than the 1733-34 klippe type, nor is there one pictured in Zamora-Chacon-Sanchez or any other resource, hence this is an important new discovery. The 8R countermark on this coin is very deep and bold and fully detailed. A light, rich toning graces the whole surface.
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