Bolivia 1790-PTS PR escudo
This specimen was lot 854 in Sedwick Auction 37 (Winter Park, FL, May 2025), where it sold for $840. The catalog description[1] noted, "BOLIVIA, Potosí, gold bust 1 escudo, Charles IV transitional (bust of Charles III, ordinal IV), 1790 PR, very rare, NGC AU details / plugged, cleaned, finest known in NGC census, ex-Almenara. Very bold strike with faint red toning on reverse and in obverse legend (rich gold color all over), repaired hole near edge between king's name and ordinal, the only other example at NGC being VF details. Pedigreed to the Almenara Collection." 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. The assayer PR appears for 1776-95.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.38 g, 0.875 fine gold, .095 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: Cayón-14012, Janson-75.2; Cal-1174; Fr-9; KM-65.
- 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.
- 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.
Links to: