willieboyd2

This one spent 50 years in a Wayte Raymond cardboard album:

I have had this Masonic Penny since the 1960's. It must have been used quite a lot at one time as it is well-worn. Details: Modern Masonic "Penny" token based on a Roman coin Issued by the Royal Arch Masons, St. Louis, Missouri Obverse: MISSOURI (dot) CHAPTER No 1. R.A.M. (dot) ST.LOUIS / CAESAR AVGVSTVS Reverse: Eight spokes, DIVVS IVLIV Size: 32mm Catalog: Design based on Augustus RIC 37b commemorating Julius Caesar

Some of these US-made coins must have either circulated in China or were used by Chinese merchants. This one has Chinese "chop" marks and I have seen others with similar marks. Oddly enough, the 1903-06 peso coins have the same amount of silver as a US silver dollar (0.78 troy oz).

I received this Mexico 1898 Peso on December 22. It took 10 days to get from New Mexico to California. I bought it as part of my research into the 1949 San Francisco restrike of the 1898 Peso. This one is an original strike. It has a die crack on the reverse (the cap and rays side).