I have two 8 Reale pieces, estimated to have been produced around 1712 and 1714, respectively. I'm having trouble getting clear digital photos of them, but I've included some anyway to give you an idea of what I have.

These were found by Mel Fischer's associates at the site of the 1715 wreck of "Las Nieves" off the coast of Fort Pierce, Florida.

I realize I'm probably better off taking these to someone locally for an appraisal, but I wanted to get a (very) rough idea of what I'm dealing with here before I waste too much time.

Thanks.

We'd need much better pics to determine if the piece is genuine or not, and really it would only be a best guess at that. Fakes can often be identified and confirmed by pics, but you can't prove they are genuine from pics. These coins are copied and counterfeited the world over, have been for years. Only an in hand exam by an expert would tell you for sure it is real or not.

I'd be more than happy to provide you with contact info for one of, if not the world's leading expert on these coins. You could send it to him and he could tell you for sure. He could also tell you an accurate value. But I will tell you this much, 99% of all the coins ever found by, or supposedly found by Mel Fischer are hugely overpriced by the people selling them, and that includes Mel's group.