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from Google AI:
were pieces of eight minted round or as octagons?
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Historically, Spanish pieces of eight (8-reales) were primarily
round or irregularly shaped, but they were not minted as octagons. The shape of these coins evolved significantly over 300 years of production:
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Irregularly Shaped "Cobs" (1572–1773)
The earliest and most famous pieces of eight were called cobs (from the Spanish cabo de barra, or "end of the bar").
Production: These were crudely made by hand-cutting a silver bar into a piece of the correct weight and striking it with a hammer between two dies.
Appearance: Because they were hand-cut and hammered, they had irregular, jagged edges and were rarely perfectly round. They were often clipped at the edges by the mint to ensure they met the exact silver weight.
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Round "Milled" Dollars (1732–1821)
Starting in 1732, the Spanish Empire introduced machine-milled coins using screw presses to prevent "clipping" (shaving silver from the edges).
Pillar Dollars (Columnarios): These were the first perfectly round pieces of eight. They featured a decorative "milled" or patterned edge that made any tampering obvious.
Portrait Dollars: Later versions (from 1772 onward) featured the bust of the reigning Spanish monarch but remained strictly round.
Why the "Octagon" Confusion?
While authentic Spanish pieces of eight were not octagonal, the misconception may stem from:
Modern Replicas: Some modern commemorative rounds or souvenir "pirate coins" are minted in octagonal shapes for aesthetic appeal.
Other Historical Coins: Some rare American coins, like the 1915 Panama-Pacific $50 gold coin, were minted in both round and octagonal versions, which are often discussed alongside rare colonial-era currency.
Divisibility: The name "piece of eight" refers to the fact that the coin was worth eight reales and could be physically cut into eight wedge-shaped "bits" to make change, but the original coin was round or a rough "cob" before being cut.