Bolivia 1789-PTS PR 2 escudos
This specimen was lot 848 in Sedwick Auction 37 (Winter Park, FL, May 2025), where it sold for $48,000. The catalog description[1] noted, "BOLIVIA, Potosí, gold bust 2 escudos, Charles IV transitional (bust of Charles III, ordinal IV), 1789 PR, very rare, NGC AU 58, finest and only example in NGC census, ex-Almenara, ex-Caballero. Very bold strike and attractively lustrous, two minor natural flaws in edge, mintage unknown but undoubtedly very small. Pedigreed to the Almenara Collection and the Caballero de las Yndias Collection (Aureo & Calicó auction of April 2009, lot 15), both stated on label." While silver coins from Bolivia exist in vast quantities, gold from Bolivia is scarce. For the colonial period, Colombia may be regarded as the most prolific issuer, followed by Mexico, followed by Peru. Bolivia, Chile and Guatemala are minor sources. This type was minted 1789-90 and is rare. Charles III died in December 1788 but the news traveled slowly to Latin America and punches for the new king took even longer. In the interim, the old king's bust was used with the new king's name. In 1789, silver coinage was struck for Charles III and IV but the gold coinage was struck only for Charles IV. The assayer PR appears for 1776-95.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 6.77 g, 0.875 fine gold, .190 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: Cayón-14150, Janson-74.1; Cal-1360; Fr-8; KM-66.
- Cayón, Adolfo, Clemente Cayón and Juan Cayón, Las Monedas Españolas, del Tremis al Euro: del 411 a Nuestros Dias, 2 volumes, Madrid: Cayón-Jano S.L., 2005.
- Calicó, Xavier, Numismática Española: Catálogo General con Precios de Todas las Monedas Españolas Acuñadas desde Los Reyes Católicos Hasta Felipe VI, 1474 a 2020, Barcelona: Aureo & Calicó, 2019.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- [1]Sedwick, Daniel Frank, Augi Garcia, Cori Sedwick Downing, Connor Falk and Sarah Sproles, Treasure Auction 37, World, U.S Coins and Paper Money, featuring the Almenara Collection of Colonial Peruvian Gold Coins, Winter Park, FL: Daniel Frank Sedwick LLC, 2025.
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