Republic "Hookneck" 8 Reales 1824 Do-RL MS65 NGC, Durango mint, KM376.4, Elizondo-174, DP-Do01. Submissive snake, large Libertad variety. A jaw-dropping gem example of this first Durango 8 Reales of the Republic, bathed in an allover gray tone with intermingled blue, purple and golden iridescence jumping from the surface when rotated under good light. Upon close inspection, the liveliness of this mesmerizing color can largely be attributed to the underlying luster, which, while not quite fully Prooflike in quality, retains a freshness that is seldom seen and frequently coupled with coins in even higher numerical grades. Further viewing yields an incredibly bold strike for the type, with the Liberty Cap, surrounding rays, iconic "hookneck" eagle and peripheral legends showing fully pronounced details as the engraver surely intended; even the "Libertad" script--characteristically one of the weakest features of the design--is fully expressed! Despite this bold strike, several minor horizontal planchet striations remain visible through the eagle, though their visual presence is truly an afterthought. Presently the single-finest graded example of the "hookneck" type from any mint at both NGC and PCGS, and given its minting during the infancy of the Republic and the overall short-lived nature of the issue, a type coin that should be of immeasurable importance for the collector of Republican-period coinage of Mexico. Ex. D. Moore Collection (Heritage Auction #3051, January 2017, Lot 32289)

HID09801242017

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