Cast 8-Reales (5), 1811, RP, 1812, RP (3), 1813, RP (KM.123; Cal.400, 401, 402), average fine for these crudely made coins, all except one 1812 with the T and pillars of Hercules counterstamps (lot)

INTRODUCTION The first of the three sales of the Pablo Gerber Collection of Mexican coins, held in New York on December 5, 1995, included the rich Collection of Colonial gold and silver, the coinage of the Emperor Iturbide, Republican gold of the 19th century, and Proclamation medals. This second sale continues with the superb run of Republican 8-Reales, including examples of the best-known rarities in the series. Most important is an entirely unknown issue, the Oaxaca 8-Reales of 1865, unregistered in all the references and never before offered for sale (lot 295). In addition to the rarest 8-Reales there is a selection of rare minor silver, including several previously unrecorded date and assayer combinations. The most important coin in this group is the 1866 2-Reales of Zacatecas, the only coin of Zacatecas of this year of issue that has ever been reported (lot 318). The 8-Reales are framed by the 19th and 20th century Revolutionary series. The War of Independence is represented by a wide variety of issues, both royalist and insurgent. Among the great rarities are two 8-Reales of Catorce (lots 45 and 46), the 8-Reales of Valladolid (lot 58), the Zongolica 8-Reales (lot 83), and the spectacular 8-Reales of Nueva Vizcaya (lot 12). Two gold 8-Escudos of the mint of Guadalajara are included (lots 39 and 40). The 20th century Revolutionary is similarly rich, both in rarities -- like the Oaxaca 5-Centavos of 1915 with three-quarters facing head of Juarez, and the Cacahuatepec Peso of 1917 -- and in quantities of more common material suitable for study. Most striking of all are the Suriana 2-Pesos of Guerrero, this example being the Pradeau specimen; and the 60-Peso gold of Oaxaca. Professor T.V. Buttrey, Cambridge, March 1996 Spink wishes to acknowledge the invaluable assistance of Professor Buttrey in the preparation of this catalogue. WAR OF INDEPENDENCE ROYALIST ISSUES (1810-1821) The Revolution against Spain broke out in 1810 with the celebrated "Grito de Dolores", the proclamation by the priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla on September 16, 1810. The struggle was to last for eleven years, and to change, curiously, in character. In the end, independence was achieved by a conservative coalition of upper-class, military and clerical interests, opposed to what they regarded as the liberal tendencies of the Spanish Constitution of 1812. That is why some insurgent issues of coin were struck in the name of the Spanish King, Ferdinand VII. The dislocations caused by the uprisings around Mexico interfered with the shipment of coin from the Mexico City mint. The authorities responded by establishing branch mints for the first time in Mexico's history. Several of these produced large quantities of coin, and were to survive as very productive mints under the Republic -- Chihuahua, Durango, Guadalajara, Guanajuato, Zacatecas. Initially, proper equipment of every kind was wanting for the manufacture of flans, the cutting of dies, and the striking of coin. Dies were mostly made locally, and it was some years before any of the mints received standard dies from Mexico City. The result was a coinage which, while trying to follow the standard colonial typology, fell far short in quality, and poor striking is quite common. Chihuahua is notable for producing cast 8-Reales in quantity. On the other hand, while using local dies Guadalajara was able to produce gold in 1812-13 and 1821, the only branch mint to do so in the Colonial period. And the mint at Nueva Vizcaya (Durango), striking the 8-Reales with a local type, produced one of the most splendid pieces of the period (see lot 12). The insurgent forces too felt the lack of coin, and various issues were produced sporadically through the years. Where fine metal was lacking, coinage continued in copper, most notably at Oaxaca where a vast amount of 1, 2 and 8-Reales was struck in copper from the crudest of dies. In addition to the coins produced by each side in the conflict, a large quantity of countermarked coins were issued. These were usually intended to validate doubtful pieces (such as the cast 8-Reales), to authorize circulation of others' issues, or simply to announce the legitimacy of the countermarking authority. CHIHUAHUA

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Cast 8-Reales (5), 1811, RP, 1812, RP (3), 1813, RP (KM.123; Cal.400, 401, 402), average fine for these crudely made coins, all except one 1812 with the T and pillars of Hercules counterstamps (lot)

Provenance