8 Real    (sold for $111.0)

1880, Mexico (2nd Republic). Silver 8 Reales (Cap Dollar) Coin. Rainbow Toning!

Mint Year: 1880
Denomination: 8 Reales
Mint Place Mexico City (Mo)
Reference: 1880-MoMH, KM-377.10.
Condition: Minor scratches, lightly cleaned in the past, now retoned on itself, otherwise XF-AU!
Material: Silver (.903)
Weight: 27,04gm
Diameter: 39mm

Obverse: Phrygian cap with "libertad" inscription, with 32 light rays.
Legend: * 8R . Mo . 1880 . M . H . 10 Ds . 20 Gs .

Reverse: Eagle with a snake in its beak, standing on a cactus plant, sea waves below.
Legend: REPUBLICA MEXICANA (terminated by olive and oak branches)

The successful revolt of the Spanish colonies in America, did not stopped the Spanish dollar to dominate the Eastern trade, and the peso of 8 reales continued to be minted in the New World. The coin was sometimes called a Republican dollar, but eventually any peso of the old Spanish 8-real standard was generally referred to as a Mexican dollar, Mexico being the most prolific producer. Mexico restored the standard of 1772, producing a coin of 27.073 g, 0.9028 fine, containing 24.441 g fine silver (the mark weight of the Mexico City mint was very slightly heavier than the standard mark of Spain).

The First Federal Republic of Mexico (Spanish: Primera República Federal de México) was established on 4 October 1824, after the overthrow of the Mexican Empire of Agustin de Iturbide. In the new constitution, the republic took the name of United Mexican States (Spanish: Estados Unidos Mexicanos), and was defined as a representative federal republic, with Catholicism as the official and unique religion.

However, most of the population largely ignored it. When Guadalupe Victoria was followed in office by Vicente Guerrero, who won the electoral but lost the popular vote, the Conservative Party saw an opportunity to seize control and led a coup under Anastasio Bustamante, who served as president from 1830 to 1832, and again from 1837 to 1841.

This coup set the pattern for Mexican politics during the 19th Century. Many governments rose and fell during a period of instability caused by factors including 1) the control of the economic system by the large landowners, 2) the struggle over the status of Mexico's northern territories, which issued in a devastating defeat at the end of the Mexican–American War; and 3) the gulf in wealth and power between the Spanish-descended elite and the mixed-race majority.

The main political parties during this era were the Conservatives (favoring the Catholic Church, the landowners, and a monarchy) and the Liberals (favoring secular government, the landless majority, and a republic).