Chopmarked 8 Reales
1808 ・ silver ・ 19th century ・ Mexico City Mint (chopmarked in the markets of China)
The 8 reales, having made long journeys across the Pacific, became covered on both obverse and reverse with chopmarks. The original design was obliterated by the strikes, and the king's face eventually became unrecognizable. Nevertheless, this silver coin continued to circulate in the market. Being covered in chopmarks was by no means a flaw; rather, it was an accumulation of records showing that the coin had been inspected and approved many times. The marks were struck by merchants, money changers, and silver assayers. Each had their own mark, which they stamped on the silver coin as proof of their verification.