The Chinese Countermarks
During the XVIII century, the Spanish silver coinage, based in American Colonial Mints and Silver Mines, dominated all the worlds economy.
As I said before Spanish 8 reales pieces (silver oz), were the most reliable in weight and Silver purity.
To avoid this monopoly, English started introducing in the far east, replicas of Spanish 8 reales minted in lead and coated in silver.
To distinguish the real from the "replicas", the Chinese bankers introduced countermarks in the good coins to certify there authenticity.
In the example you can see and 8 reales coin minted at Potosí (Bolivia) the 1774,for Charles III King of Spain.
