Mexico 1824-Do RL real
The first specimen was lot 305 in Morton & Eden sale 104 (London, November 2019), where it did not sell. The catalog description[1] noted, "Republic, Hookneck Coinage, 1 real, Durango mint, 1824 RL, type 1, smooth snake pattern, rev., reversed superscript s's in legend (Hubbard & O'Harrow pp 120-123, this piece illustrated), well-worn but fully legible, extremely rare. Ex Antonio Deana Salmerón Collection." The secod specimen was lot 41173 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Costa Mesa, CA, August 2021), where it sold for $2,040. The catalog description[2] noted, "MEXICO. "Hookneck" Real, 1824-Do RL. Durango Mint. PCGS VG-8 Gold Shield. "Hookneck" eagle; retrograde superscript S. Though quite well worn and circulated, this charming minor nevertheless remains INCREDIBLY RARE and popular, and rather difficult to locate in problem-free states of preservation such as is the case here." The third specimen was lot 72280 in Stack's Bowers June 2026 World Premier Collectors Choice Auction (Costa Mesa, CA, June 2026), where it sold for $23,180. The catalog description[3] noted, "MEXICO. 'Hookneck' Real, 1824-Do RL. Durango Mint. NGC VF Details--Cleaned. HO-Type 1. Variety with reversed superscript 'S'. One of the classic and most sought after rarities of the Republican Real Series. Well struck with decent centering, this is a very attractive example of the type. In the book Hookneck by Clyde Hubbard and David O'Harrow, there are 12 Durango 1 Real Hookneck coins plated. This coin is tied with the Lennart Philipson example for the finest. Noted cleaning is very minor. Coin has original toning. It would be a very long wait to improve this coin. From the Kirk Menczer Collection of Republican Reales Minors. Ex: David O'Harrow Collection." After the collapse and ouster of Iturbide's empire, the Republic of Mexico inaugurated coinage using the "hook-neck" style eagle. The Durango mint used this style to produce one, two and eight reales, of which the rarest is the one real shown here.
Recorded mintage: unknown but extremely rare.
Specification: 3.38 g, 0.903 fine silver, 0.098 troy oz ASW, the first specimen 3.12 g.
Catalog reference: KM 371.1.
- Busse, Dave, A Minor Challenge: A Study of Mexican Republic Silver ¼, ½, 1, 2 and 4 Reales Die Styles,, Harlingen, TX: 2018.
- Buttrey, T. V., and Clyde Hubbard, A Guide Book of Mexican Coins, 1822 to date, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 1992.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Utberg, Neil S., The Coins of Mexico, 1536-1963, San Antonio, TX, 1963.
- [1]Eden, Tom, James Morton, David Kirk and Menelaos Danellis, Morton & Eden sale 104, Ancient Coins and the Mexico Collection, London: Morton & Eden, 2019.
- [2]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The August 2021 ANA sale: World and Ancient Coins, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2021.
- [3]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, June 2026 World Premier Collectors Choice Auction - Selections from the L.E. Bruun Collection, the Richard Margolis Collection and the Kirk Menczer Collection of Republican Reales Minors, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2026.
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