Madagascar?
pindborg
I have recently bought a cut 8 reales, and the coin dealer said that
it was used on Madagascar, but I can't find any reference to this
coin. The coin can be seen here:
Front side:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/51812854@N08/5635446082/in/photostream
Back side:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/51812854@N08/5635445170/in/photostream/
Can anyone help with any further information?
Best regards
Erik
ste...@no.spam.sbcglobal.net
Doesn't look like it was cut for use in commerce, cut to get the royal
portrait. As for Madagascar these went all over the world. Probably the only
coinage never to be debased, save ours.
Bob
A couple of references are Paul Einzig, Primitive Money in its
ethnological, historical and economic aspects (London, 1949, also a
second edition which I do not have), p. 135, and M. L. Muhleman,
Monetary Systems of the World (New York, 1895), p. 102. Einzig
writes, "Until comparatively recently the currency of Madagascar
consisted of pieces of cut silver coins changing hands by weight. The
standard coin was the Spanish dollar which was also a medium of
exchange in an uncut form, especially in the ports. A very large
proportion of the dollars that found their way to Madagascar were,
however, cut into pieces by 'money brokers.' W. Ellis [Three Visits to
Madagascar, London, 1859, p. 125], describing a market scene at
Tamatave remarked: 'The money changers were busy cutting up dollars,
half and quarter dollars and smaller pieces, cut silver valued by
weight being the universal currency.'" Writing in 1895, Muhleman
wrote, "'Cut coin' is largely used for divisions [of the dollar]..."
Neither of these books is illustrated. Since the cut money passed by
weight, it was not divided cleanly into halves, quarters, etc. and
your piece looks like a good candidate for an example from
Madagascar. Did the dealer say how he knew it was from there?
Robert Leonard
pindborg
No he did not say where he had it from, but he told me that he had
found the reference to the coin in a french book by Lecompte. I got
the book and found a description that eight reales reales were cut for
use on the island, but no pictures or illustrations were included. The
dealer I bought the coin from is very respectable (one of the best
here in Denmark), and he also told that he recently had got two of
these, and the previous was sold a couple a weeks ago.
The information that you Robert have provided are good, and I thank
you for it.
Best regards
Erik