Ancient, British and World Coins, Medallions and Books

Guadeloupe, British Administration, Authority of May 1811, Nine Livres, MEXICO, Ferdinand VII, 8 Réales, 1810hj, Mexico City, pierced from the rev. with a square hole with crenated edges, both sides countermarked with a crowned g raised within a shaped indent, 23.68g/12h (Prid. 8; KM. 26). Coin and countermarks good fine, contemporary but perhaps not official £150-250

The crowned g countermarks from this particular punch were once considered fakes (pace Pridmore); current considered opinion believes that they are contemporary, but probably not official. Evidence exists that, prior to the countermarking action taken under the British Administration in May 1811, there was an earlier action taken under the French Administration (both administrations using the services of the same silversmith). However, in the case of the French action it would seem that the dollars were only pierced (presumably with the same crenated square hole style) and not countermarked. It thus stands to reason that after the British action came into effect there would be dollars with square crenated holes and no countermarks in circulation that would then be ‘unofficially countermarked’, in order to be acceptable. Additionally, very few dollars without countermarks are known