Chile 1781-So DA 4 escudos
This specimen was lot 965 in Sedwick Treasure Auction 39 (Winter Park, FL, May 2026), where it sold for $13,200. The catalog description[1] noted, "CHILE, Santiago, gold bust 4 escudos, Charles III, 1781 DA, very rare, NGC AU 53, finest and only example in NGC census. Rather lustrous for the assigned grade and with bold details, slightly off-center obverse and adjustment marks on reverse, re-punched denomination 4, only the second example we have seen as from very low mintage of only 850 coins." This type was struck 1773-88 but is much rarer than the contemporary eight escudos. The government took over the mint in 1770 and enlarged it. In 1785, the alloy was debased from 0.901 to 0.875 fine gold.
Recorded mintage: 850.
Specification: 13.53 g, 0.901 fine gold, .392 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: Cayón-12677, Cal-1874; KM-33; Fr-16.
- 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, Auction 39, World, U.S Coins and Paper Money, featuring the Jorge Ugaz Collection of Lima Silver Cob 2 Reales and the Darby Collection of Guatemala Silver Cobs, Winter Park, FL: Daniel Frank Sedwick LLC, 2026.
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