Stawell, Australia Site of Strange Mexican 8 Reales Silver Coin of 1820s

 

Australian Silver

Date of report, Jul 30, 2025:

Angus James’s discovery reads almost like a scene from a treasure-hunting tale. While prospecting near the old gold rush town of Stawell, he unearthed a curious fragment of silver—a half of a Mexican 8 reales coin. At first glance he thought it might be a half crown, but the odd cut suggested something more intriguing. Once cleaned, the piece revealed its identity as part of the legendary “pieces of eight,” coins that once fueled global trade and inspired pirate folklore.

The reales had a long journey before ending up in the soil of inland Victoria. First struck in Spain in the late 15th century, they became the world’s preferred currency, circulating across continents and even being refashioned for use in colonial New South Wales. Mexico minted its own version after independence in the 1820s, and these coins remained in use well into the 19th century. Their fame was cemented in literature, immortalized in Treasure Island where Captain Flint’s parrot squawked the phrase that captured children’s imaginations.

James’s coin, found among other Victorian-era relics, likely arrived in Australia with a prospector during the Gold Rush. Perhaps it was carried in a pocket and cut in half to pay for tools or supplies, a practical use of silver in a time when fortunes were being chased in the earth. The campsite where he found it whispers of those days, when men from across the globe converged on Victoria in search of gold.

Though collectors have offered him hundreds of dollars for the fragment, James has chosen to keep it. For him, the value lies not in its price but in its story—a tangible link between Australia’s goldfields and the wider currents of history. The coin remains unpolished, a rare artifact preserved as it was found, a reminder that even in quiet corners of the bush, echoes of global adventure can still be unearthed.