Greatest trade coin of all time

Doing some research on pieces of eight, from cobs through pillar
dollars to busts, and it strikes me that it has very good claims to
being the greatest trade coin of all time. Curiously, I don't believe
I've seen it referred to that way, in print or online.

The first great trade coin was the ancient Athenian Owl, but though it
was minted in huge quantity and reached the edges of the known world
at the time, that world extended only so far. During the age of
exploration, when pieces of eight were first made, the world became a
much bigger place. The piece of eight competed against other trade
coins, most notably the Dutch lion dollar and the Maria Theresa
thaler, but it was minted far longer and in far greater quantity. The
U.S. trade dollar, in comparison, was a virtual nonentity during its
eye blink of a life.

The piece of eight was used in the Americas, Europe, the Near East,
the Far East, and Australia. It facilitated the most massive transfer
of wealth in the history of the world, from the New World back to the
Old World. And it was the model for coins of the U.S., Canada,
numerous Latin American countries, China, the Philippines, Saudi
Arabia, Yemen, Oman, Qatar, and Iran.

Greatest trade coin of all time.

--

Consumer: http://rg.ancients.info/guide
Connoisseur: http://rg.ancients.info/glom
Counterfeit: http://rg.ancients.info/bogos

Reid Goldsborough wrote:
Doing some research on pieces of eight, from cobs through pillar
dollars to busts, and it strikes me that it has very good claims to
being the greatest trade coin of all time. Curiously, I don't believe
I've seen it referred to that way, in print or online.

"The Spanish milled dollar, valued at 8 reales, and otherwise known as the
Pillar dollar, or piece of eight, has been given a place in romantic fiction
unequalled by any other coin."

- R.S. Yeoman, A Guide Book of United States Coins, 1st (1947) through 62nd
(2009) editions

James

On Aug 19, 4:13*pm, "Mr. Jaggers" lugburzman[at]yahoo[dot]com wrote:
Reid Goldsborough wrote:
Doing some research on pieces of eight, from cobs through pillar
dollars to busts, and it strikes me that it has very good claims to
being the greatest trade coin of all time. Curiously, I don't believe
I've seen it referred to that way, in print or online.

"The Spanish milled dollar, valued at 8 reales, and otherwise known as the
Pillar dollar, or piece of eight, has been given a place in romantic fiction
unequalled by any other coin."

- R.S. Yeoman, A Guide Book of United States Coins, 1st (1947) through 62nd
(2009) editions

James

Thanks. I have the Red Book too, but it makes no mention, including
the above quote, of what I was talking about. It is interesting though
that the Spanish milled dollar is the first coin illustrated in it.
But the three terms -- pillar dollar, Spanish milled dollar, and
piece of eight -- aren't synonymous. The second is more encompassing
than the first, the third more than the first and second.

--

Consumer: http://rg.ancients.info/guide
Connoisseur: http://rg.ancients.info/glom
Counterfeit: http://rg.ancients.info/bogos

Reid Goldsborough wrote:
On Aug 19, 4:13 pm, "Mr. Jaggers" lugburzman[at]yahoo[dot]com wrote:
Reid Goldsborough wrote:
Doing some research on pieces of eight, from cobs through pillar
dollars to busts, and it strikes me that it has very good claims to
being the greatest trade coin of all time. Curiously, I don't
believe I've seen it referred to that way, in print or online.

"The Spanish milled dollar, valued at 8 reales, and otherwise known
as the Pillar dollar, or piece of eight, has been given a place in
romantic fiction unequalled by any other coin."

- R.S. Yeoman, A Guide Book of United States Coins, 1st (1947)
through 62nd (2009) editions

James

Thanks. I have the Red Book too, but it makes no mention, including
the above quote, of what I was talking about. It is interesting though
that the Spanish milled dollar is the first coin illustrated in it.
But the three terms -- pillar dollar, Spanish milled dollar, and
piece of eight -- aren't synonymous. The second is more encompassing
than the first, the third more than the first and second.

A la rigueur, they are not synonymous, but to the average bear, they are.
8)

Amid all the accounts of how the pieces of eight were cut into halves,
fourths, and eighths, I have never seen any description as to exactly what
mechanism was used to cut them. Were they sheared, sawed (sawn?), chopped,
or what?

James

"Mr. Jaggers" lugburzman[at]yahoo[dot]com wrote in message
...
Reid Goldsborough wrote:
Doing some research on pieces of eight, from cobs through pillar
dollars to busts, and it strikes me that it has very good claims to
being the greatest trade coin of all time. Curiously, I don't believe
I've seen it referred to that way, in print or online.

"The Spanish milled dollar, valued at 8 reales, and otherwise known as the Pillar
dollar, or piece of eight, has been given a place in romantic fiction unequalled by any
other coin."

- R.S. Yeoman, A Guide Book of United States Coins, 1st (1947) through 62nd (2009)
editions

"Suddenly he swept her up into his tan, brawny arms and gently nuzzled his dark moustache
into the nape of her neck, slowly and maddeningly working his way up to lick the Spanish
milled dollar hanging by a tiny gold hook from her earlobe where her father, the
numismatist, had placed it shortly before he died of malaria contracted while searching
for the fabled 1804 American dollar rumored to be cached in a Louisiana swamp..."

Oh, wait, did he mean some other kind of romantic fiction?

On Aug 19, 5:10*pm, "Mr. Jaggers" lugburzman[at]yahoo[dot]com wrote:
Reid Goldsborough wrote:
On Aug 19, 4:13 pm, "Mr. Jaggers" lugburzman[at]yahoo[dot]com wrote:
Reid Goldsborough wrote:
Doing some research on pieces of eight, from cobs through pillar
dollars to busts, and it strikes me that it has very good claims to
being the greatest trade coin of all time. Curiously, I don't
believe I've seen it referred to that way, in print or online.

"The Spanish milled dollar, valued at 8 reales, and otherwise known
as the Pillar dollar, or piece of eight, has been given a place in
romantic fiction unequalled by any other coin."

- R.S. Yeoman, A Guide Book of United States Coins, 1st (1947)
through 62nd (2009) editions

James

Thanks. I have the Red Book too, but it makes no mention, including
the above quote, of what I was talking about. It is interesting though
that the Spanish milled dollar is the first coin illustrated in it.
But the three terms -- *pillar dollar, Spanish milled dollar, and
piece of eight -- aren't synonymous. The second is more encompassing
than the first, the third more than the first and second.

A la rigueur, they are not synonymous, but to the average bear, they are.
8)

Amid all the accounts of how the pieces of eight were cut into halves,
fourths, and eighths, I have never seen any description as to exactly what
mechanism was used to cut them. *Were they sheared, sawed (sawn?), chopped,
or what?

James

A hammer and chisel, I'd surmise. Despite being written about widely,
these cut pieces are very rare today. Most were likely melted over the
years for their bullion.

--

Consumer: http://rg.ancients.info/guide
Connoisseur: http://rg.ancients.info/glom
Counterfeit: http://rg.ancients.info/bogos

Reid Goldsborough wrote:
On Aug 19, 5:10 pm, "Mr. Jaggers" lugburzman[at]yahoo[dot]com wrote:
Reid Goldsborough wrote:
On Aug 19, 4:13 pm, "Mr. Jaggers" lugburzman[at]yahoo[dot]com
wrote:
Reid Goldsborough wrote:
Doing some research on pieces of eight, from cobs through pillar
dollars to busts, and it strikes me that it has very good claims
to being the greatest trade coin of all time. Curiously, I don't
believe I've seen it referred to that way, in print or online.

"The Spanish milled dollar, valued at 8 reales, and otherwise known
as the Pillar dollar, or piece of eight, has been given a place in
romantic fiction unequalled by any other coin."

- R.S. Yeoman, A Guide Book of United States Coins, 1st (1947)
through 62nd (2009) editions

James

Thanks. I have the Red Book too, but it makes no mention, including
the above quote, of what I was talking about. It is interesting
though that the Spanish milled dollar is the first coin illustrated
in it. But the three terms -- pillar dollar, Spanish milled dollar,
and piece of eight -- aren't synonymous. The second is more
encompassing than the first, the third more than the first and
second.

A la rigueur, they are not synonymous, but to the average bear, they
are. 8)

Amid all the accounts of how the pieces of eight were cut into
halves, fourths, and eighths, I have never seen any description as
to exactly what mechanism was used to cut them. Were they sheared,
sawed (sawn?), chopped, or what?

James

A hammer and chisel, I'd surmise. Despite being written about widely,
these cut pieces are very rare today. Most were likely melted over the
years for their bullion.

Sounds reasonable, but a guy would think that there would be many survivors.
I don't think I've ever seen one.

James

John Mazor wrote:
"Mr. Jaggers" lugburzman[at]yahoo[dot]com wrote in message
...
Reid Goldsborough wrote:
Doing some research on pieces of eight, from cobs through pillar
dollars to busts, and it strikes me that it has very good claims to
being the greatest trade coin of all time. Curiously, I don't
believe I've seen it referred to that way, in print or online.

"The Spanish milled dollar, valued at 8 reales, and otherwise known
as the Pillar dollar, or piece of eight, has been given a place in
romantic fiction unequalled by any other coin."

- R.S. Yeoman, A Guide Book of United States Coins, 1st (1947)
through 62nd (2009) editions

"Suddenly he swept her up into his tan, brawny arms and gently
nuzzled his dark moustache into the nape of her neck, slowly and
maddeningly working his way up to lick the Spanish milled dollar
hanging by a tiny gold hook from her earlobe where her father, the
numismatist, had placed it shortly before he died of malaria
contracted while searching for the fabled 1804 American dollar
rumored to be cached in a Louisiana swamp..."
Oh, wait, did he mean some other kind of romantic fiction?

LOL! Unfortunately, San Jose State University has already announced its
winner of the 2008 Bulwer-Lytton contest, so you'll have to wait almost a
full year now to claim your prize. 8)

http://www.bulwer-lytton.com/

James

In article , "Mr. Jaggers" lugburzman[at]yahoo[dot]com wrote:
Reid Goldsborough wrote:
On Aug 19, 4:13 pm, "Mr. Jaggers" lugburzman[at]yahoo[dot]com wrote:
Reid Goldsborough wrote:
Doing some research on pieces of eight, from cobs through pillar
dollars to busts, and it strikes me that it has very good claims to
being the greatest trade coin of all time. Curiously, I don't
believe I've seen it referred to that way, in print or online.

"The Spanish milled dollar, valued at 8 reales, and otherwise known
as the Pillar dollar, or piece of eight, has been given a place in
romantic fiction unequalled by any other coin."

- R.S. Yeoman, A Guide Book of United States Coins, 1st (1947)
through 62nd (2009) editions

James

Thanks. I have the Red Book too, but it makes no mention, including
the above quote, of what I was talking about. It is interesting though
that the Spanish milled dollar is the first coin illustrated in it.
But the three terms -- pillar dollar, Spanish milled dollar, and
piece of eight -- aren't synonymous. The second is more encompassing
than the first, the third more than the first and second.

A la rigueur, they are not synonymous, but to the average bear, they are.
8)

Amid all the accounts of how the pieces of eight were cut into halves,
fourths, and eighths, I have never seen any description as to exactly what
mechanism was used to cut them. Were they sheared, sawed (sawn?), chopped,
or what?

James


basically, whatever tool was at hand. hatchets and axes were common, knives
and hammers were, too. they were rarely sawn because of metal waste.
very few bits remain.

"Mr. Jaggers" lugburzman[at]yahoo[dot]com wrote in message
...
John Mazor wrote:
"Mr. Jaggers" lugburzman[at]yahoo[dot]com wrote in message
...
Reid Goldsborough wrote:
Doing some research on pieces of eight, from cobs through pillar
dollars to busts, and it strikes me that it has very good claims to
being the greatest trade coin of all time. Curiously, I don't
believe I've seen it referred to that way, in print or online.

"The Spanish milled dollar, valued at 8 reales, and otherwise known
as the Pillar dollar, or piece of eight, has been given a place in
romantic fiction unequalled by any other coin."

- R.S. Yeoman, A Guide Book of United States Coins, 1st (1947)
through 62nd (2009) editions

"Suddenly he swept her up into his tan, brawny arms and gently
nuzzled his dark moustache into the nape of her neck, slowly and
maddeningly working his way up to lick the Spanish milled dollar
hanging by a tiny gold hook from her earlobe where her father, the
numismatist, had placed it shortly before he died of malaria
contracted while searching for the fabled 1804 American dollar
rumored to be cached in a Louisiana swamp..."
Oh, wait, did he mean some other kind of romantic fiction?

LOL! Unfortunately, San Jose State University has already announced its winner of the
2008 Bulwer-Lytton contest, so you'll have to wait almost a full year now to claim your
prize. 8)

http://www.bulwer-lytton.com/

James

I entered a few of those, gave up after obviously inferior compositions won out over mine.

Maybe I'll dust off my dictionary of literary clichés and try again.