We, the authors, do not claim to replace the established Catalog Numbering systems of Carlos Elizondo Jr. (Eight Reales and Pesos of the New World-1971) and Gabriel Calbeto de Grau (Compendio de las Piezas de Ocho Reales-1970). Just like other enthusiasts and researchers, we seek to contribute to the already good number of reference systems.

Our approach to the Catalog of Spanish Colonial 8-Reales Pillar is through the use of coding scheme that would be able to guide the collector or dealer alike in the description of an 8R Pillar. Since there could be a number of variations for a particular year, it was critical that significant variations are documented and differentiated.

A lot of effort went into the sorting of the specimens as to their variations from the basic and original design. Most of the analysis were via photographs from a number of extensive Pillar collections. Significance of each varieties were noted and assigned specific codes.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Johnny T. Chen of Iligan City, Philippines [English only]

Carlos Jara Moreno of Santiago, Chile. [English or Spanish]

REFERENCES

Ref Catalog : Standard Catalog of World Coins 18th Century 2nd Ed. (Chester L. Krause and Clifford Mishler), USA, 1997 ISBN-0-87341-526-4

Auction Catalog : The Emilio M. Ortiz Collection of Spanish Colonial and Spanish Coins (Swiss Bank Corporation) January 24, 1991 Basel, Switzerland.

Auction Catalog : The Amat Collection (Ponterio & Associates, Inc.) March 8, 1991 Chicago, IL, USA.

Auction Catalog : The Alexander Patterson Collection (BONHAMS Knightbridge) July 16 and 17, 1996 London, England.

Auction Catalog : Carlos III : Coleccion Iriarte (AUREO Subastas Numismaticas, S.A.) March 4, 1998 Barcelona, Spain.

Auction Catalogs of Louis Hudson, Freeman L. Craig and Superior.

RARITY RATINGS were based on the result of comparing various auction / sales catalogs and date-series collections of Ray Johnson, Ponterio-Amat, Higgins, Iriarte, Calbeto, Faistauer, etc) and are near exact estimates. The KM SCWC-18th Century was also used. The Santiago and Nuevo Reino figures are more accurate and could be used as exact.