8 Reales Resplandor, Hermosillo Mint 1887: Value Guide

If you inherited or found an 1887 Mexican 8 Reales Resplandor from the Hermosillo mint, here is the honest answer: in worn, circulated condition it is worth mostly its silver, roughly 15 to 25 US dollars depending on the spot price. Clean, well-preserved examples can bring 50 to a few hundred dollars, and the price climbs from there in top grades. Real rarity, not age alone, drives the number.

This is a large, heavy silver coin. Most people overestimate what an old coin is worth simply because it is old. What actually moves the price on this one is grade, eye appeal, and whether it is a scarce mint-date combination that collectors chase. Hermosillo pieces from 1887 are collected, but this is not a museum-level rarity by default.

What you actually have

The 8 Reales Resplandor ("resplandor" is Spanish for "radiance," referring to the sunburst design) was the workhorse silver dollar of 19th-century Mexico. It was minted at multiple mints across the country, each with its own mint mark. Yours carries the Hermosillo mark (Ho), from the state of Sonora, dated 1887.

The specifications, which you should verify on your own coin, are:

Feature	Specification
Denomination	8 Reales
Year	1887
Mint	Hermosillo (Ho mint mark)
Metal	Silver, 0.900 fine (some references cite 0.9028)
Weight	27.07 grams
Diameter	39 mm
Edge	Reeded
Era	Restored Republic / Porfiriato

Obverse (front): A Phrygian cap radiating sun rays (the "resplandor" or radiant cap), with the legend "LIBERTAD."

Reverse (back): The Mexican eagle facing forward, devouring a serpent while standing on a nopal cactus, with the legend "REPÚBLICA MEXICANA."

What it's worth by condition

With about 24.4 grams of pure silver, this coin has a hard floor: it will never be worth less than its melt value. That floor rises and falls with the silver market. On top of that floor sits the collector premium, which depends almost entirely on how well preserved the coin is.

Grade	What it looks like	Approximate value (USD)
Worn / circulated	Heavy wear, flat details, scratches	Melt value, about 15 to 25
Very Fine	Clear details, moderate wear	30 to 60
Extremely Fine	Sharp, light wear on high points	60 to 150
About Uncirculated / Uncirculated	Little to no wear, original luster	150 to several hundred

These are working ranges. A specific Hermosillo 1887 that turns out to be a scarce variety, or that grades high with strong eye appeal at NGC or PCGS, can exceed these figures. Certification by NGC or PCGS is what separates a guessed value from a real one.

The myth to kill

No, a standard 1887 8 Reales is not worth thousands just because it is over a century old. Millions of these silver dollars were struck across Mexico's mints, and huge quantities survive. The ones that command real money are the top-grade certified examples and the genuinely scarce mint-date-variety combinations. A well-worn, uncertified piece pulled from a drawer is a silver coin with a modest collector bump, not a lottery ticket.

How to tell if yours is genuine

Counterfeits of Mexican 8 Reales exist, and some are convincing. Check these first:

• Weight and diameter. Use a jeweler's scale and a caliper. It should weigh close to 27.07 grams and measure 39 mm. A coin that is light or the wrong size is a red flag.
• Edge. The edge should be reeded (fine vertical grooves). A smooth or crude edge is suspicious.
• Engraving style, mint mark, and assayer initials. Colonial and republican silver has specific, consistent lettering and design. Fakes often show soft, mushy, or slightly wrong details.
• Any offer far below the silver melt value. If someone is selling one cheaper than the metal is worth, assume it is fake.

For anything valuable, get it authenticated and graded by NGC or PCGS before you buy or sell.

Where to sell it

To sell an 1887 8 Reales Resplandor, your safest options are a verified coin dealer or a collector marketplace, not a quick flip to the first buyer on social media. Before you sell:

1. Photograph the obverse, reverse, and edge in good light.
2. Weigh and measure the coin.
3. Compare against the grade ranges above using the coin grading guide.
4. Sell only to someone who inspects the piece and confirms weight, since this is a precious-metal coin.

The Pesoteca dealer directory lets you find a shop by city that will appraise it on the spot, and the Pesoteca buy-and-sell forum connects you with collectors directly.

Think you might have a scarce variety or a mint error? Post clear photos in the Pesoteca forum and let the community weigh in before you set a price.

In 1887 Porfirio Diaz was in office during his second consecutive term. Years of railway expansion (Mexico City-Ciudad Juarez, Mexico City-Laredo) and of consolidation of foreign capital in mining and industry.

The Hermosillo mint (Ho) was established in 1835 to handle the silver of Sonora without depending on Alamos. It closed in 1895 with the centralizing reform of the Porfiriato.

Ho pieces have low mintages compared to Mexico City or Zacatecas. Late years (1893-1895) are harder to find in good grade.

As a catalog reference, this mint's variant is listed as KM#377.9 in Krause. The piece is .9028 fineness silver with a reeded edge and a theoretical weight of 27.07 grams. The 1887 Hermosillo, Sonora example corresponds to the mature stage of the mint, near its closing (1835-1895) and is identified on the coin by the mint mark Ho.

When landing a cap-and-rays 8 reales from Ho, it's wise to compare against the Pesoteca catalog photo reference and prioritize examples with a legible reverse (eagle, serpent, legend REPUBLICA MEXICANA and value 8R) over pieces with only the obverse bright. The peer-to-peer price among collectors of the 1880s cycle tends to be fairer than the specialty-shop showcase, where the middleman markup can double the real reference.