COUNTERSTAMPED COINAGE
1828 - 1836

An 1828 MANILA counterstamped on 8R Zacatecas (Mexico) 1825 AZ 
flanked by 8R Guatemala 1826M with the stamp of Isabel II (YII) 
and a scarce 960 Reis Brazil 1820R with a Ferdinand VII (F&) counterstamp
All MANILA counterstamped coins are avery rare. Among this handful of coins marked MANILA 1828, 1829 and 1830, the MANILA 1828 is the most numerous, although by no means common. For reasons yet unknown, there is only ONE known specimen of the MANILA 1929, an 8-Escudo 1825 Mexico J M in the collection of the Fabrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre de Madrid. As the general design of the MANILA counterstamps soon proved to be unwieldy and impractical, it has been suggested that this lone MANILA 1829 was struck as a mere formality -- and almost empty gesture of minimum compliance with the royal decree requiring it. On the other hand, a continuing study of the MANILA 1830 by one of the few recognized experts in Spanish colonial coinage puts the scarce number of confirmed specimens around the world at about twenty-five.

The specimen featured above is a MANILA 1830 counterstamp on a host coin which is an 8 Soles Potosi 1727 JM. This is the PLATE COIN in Aldo Basso's book Coins, Medals and Tokens of the Philippines 1728 - 1974 (1975).

The obverse of the coin displays the legend "MANILA 1830" surrounded by a serrated border designed to obliterate the rebellious inscriptions of the coin beneath.  On the reverse are the words "HABILITADO FOR EL REY N.S.D. FERN. VII" (Rehabilitated by the King, Our Lord Don Fernando VII) surrounding the coat of arms of Spain, likewise with a serrated border. It is EXTREMELY RARE, not only because of it very limited mintage but also because of its UNCIRCULATED condition. In the latter respect, this coin may well be UNIQUE and undoubtedly a numismatic CLASSIC. Mintage unknown. (Philippine collection)

I believe the proper translation for the word "HABILITADO"
is "MADE VALID" instead of "REHABILITATED" ---- aql