Watch List notes:

Contemporary counterfeit of a Mexico City, Mexico, bust 8 reales, Charles III, 1781FF. 23.48 grams. People often ask us how to tell a contemporary counterfeit (meaning made in the same time as the originals) from something modern-made, and our answer invariably is that the only way to know for sure is if the coin is published in a contemporary reference OR if it is found with originals in a wreck or hoard... but that is a very rare occurrence. The present coin, with incorrect weight and fanciful face on the bust, is just such an example, from a well-known hoard found in Haiti a few years ago, this piece in lustrous Mint State grade with tiny bagmarks but no wear, clearly unique and highly instructional for the specialized colonial counterfeit collectors out there (and we know there are a few!).

Estimate: $1000