8 Reales Mexcio 1701-1725

This is a rare example of an uncleaned Mexican 8 reales coin recovered from the Dutch East Indiaman Akerendam, which sank off the coast of Norway. While most of the coins were cleaned shortly after their discovery in the 1970s, this piece has been preserved in its original, as-found condition. The brown iron corrosion visible on the surface is a striking reminder of the coin’s maritime past. While the exact source is uncertain, the corrosion may have come from various iron objects aboard the ship—though some suggest it originated from an iron chest that once held this remarkable piece of history.