The Seattle PNNA is coming up in two weeks and I was going to look for a cob or pillar 8R for my collection. Looks like I don't have to anymore. Was at my LCS by chance and something caught my eye in the display case - they had just gotten in a Pillar Dollar. I asked if they could take it out so I could take a look at it. It has two Chinese chopmarks on the obverse, some remnant mint luster on the reverse, and some stuff going on underneath the date. This coin has it all... well, the surfaces aren't the most original I've ever seen, but for the $175 I paid, this was a no-brainer purchase. These have really shot up in value in the last few years. (Trust me - I was prepared to pay a good bit more in Seattle!)
Really? They are that expensive now? This is more like what you should be looking for, but I bought this one years ago. This is in a SEGS holder. It's been dipped.
Yes,I'm not sure where you buy your coins but for me it's on the bay,the cheapest BIN certified examples are like $400,same concept also goes for uncertified examples.
Here is a PCGS VF-chopped 8R that sold on Ebay. BIN price was $535 and the best offer accepted was $400. These things have really shot up. Very difficult to get even a junker pillar dollar under $200 now.
I'm also looking for one but refuse to pay the premiums,I'll find one eventually like your snag,not looking for a junk one .
Potty I do buy on the bay.....but selectively. Going to shows,or local shops..... building a busines relationship with those owners ,.or dealers is the ticket for acquiring good deals on coins. For the most part I haven't paid retail in years for coins. Now I have asked for a price where the dealer paided up,or had no wiggle room....to extend price to me. I highly recommend that you try shows,as well local shops...and build that relationship. Not a put down...just a gap in our generation where mine wants a face to face relationship, and yours is one based on a cel phone,and a I pad. Just once put the phone down...as well the pad... and your best foot forward and actually talk without a phone...or pad... and see if my advice holds some merit. I do believe others here will tell you the same....respect,and a mature dialogue will get you in the door...
All I can say is, WOW! Nice coins. I only have seen them in the "Red Book". Always dreamed of finding or buying one someday.
Definitely be patient and find the right dealer, and you will be rewarded. There is also the Sedwick Treasure Auction coming up next month, they might have some Pillars. They're beautiful coins and definitely worth it! Make sure they're a reputable dealer too! Keep in mind the ratio of fake to real Pillar Dollars is possibly worse than that for 1909-S VDB cents.
That's a nice pillar 8! The large clear chopmark gives the coin added character. I'm not really sure that there's an overdate. The reason is that the "5" used by the Mexico mint, until 1765, was the old Spanish style 5 basically in the shape of a sickle, with a diagonal tail attached to a "c" at the top. In 1765 the mint started to use a more modern version for 5. Here's an example (not from my collection): Also, Stack's had a 1761/51 in one of their past auctions. With this example the 5's tail is visible at the base of the 6. Here's a link to the auction: https://auctions.stacksbowers.com/l...s-176151-momm-charles-iii-1759-88-anacs-ef-40 Here's coin that I've owned since 1981-82. I purchased this coin from Hal Blackburn, Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. I've sold many world coins over the years, but I've kept this one. This coin is the most common of the several varieties for this date, but the grade is very nice. Mexico, 8 reales, Charles III, 1761 MM. KM 105; Gilboy M8-39 (C) 26.94 grams
Unfortunately the reference book on pillar coinage by Frank F. Gilboy was a limited edition of 500, printed in 1999 in Canada. I don't know of any reprints of this book. The copy that I have is number 500 of 500. From time to time a copy becomes available. VCoins had one recently: https://www.vcoins.com/en/stores/mo...d_publishing_inc_1999_new/188417/Default.aspx So, if you look around you may eventually find one available. As a reference it is quite useful, especially for the pillar specialist. Gilboy covers varieties generally not mentioned in other references. Good Luck!
Interesting. I saw that NGC has graded one of this die pair as a 1761/51 which went to Heritage, but NGC has been wrong before. Would you be so kind as to look up my pillar dollar in the Gilboy reference and see which die variety it is? That is the only other one I have found of this die in my searches.
Your coin is the same Gilboy type as mine, M-8-39. He lists varieties for this date, including the presence of an arch under the crown above the hemispheres, for example. There are several. Here are a couple of photos covering 1761. He doesn't list the 1761/51 overdate, but it is listed in Krause. I apologize for the poor quality of the photos. They're mostly legible enlarged, but it's late and I need to turn in.
Nice Columnario, @Omegaraptor . I think you got a nice price for it. One wonders where that coin has been... I have two Mexican Columnarios in my collection, but I need to find them first. Otherwise, I collect Lima and Santiago. Here is a nice one from Peru, dated 1772, last year of issue. It is the variety with dots above both mintmarks. (Very scarce as such!)
If you just want to borrow the book, you might get lucky... https://www.worldcat.org/title/45283415 The last time I went looking for something, there were precisely two libraries that had it (LoC in DC and the Dallas PL).
