Colombia (1693)-ARC escudo
This specimen was lot 82 in Sedwick Auction 37 (Winter Park, FL, May 2025), where it sold for $5,550. The catalog description[1] noted, "COLOMBIA, Bogotá, gold cob 1 escudo, (1693), assayer ARCE, rare, NGC MS 62 (1715 Fleet Shipwreck Label). Choice full cross, nearly full shield with lots of details but flat at bottom right, with distinctive rendering of elements (Naples Sicily left without eagles, etc.) matching 2 escudos of 1693 (see Sedwick Auction 35 lot 92 for another example from same dies), lightly toned, technically second finest in NGC behind a single MS 63 of the same type listed under a slightly different date range. From the 1715 Fleet, with photo-certificate." While a considerable number of gold one and two escudos of Colombia were recovered from the wreck of the 1715 Fleet, nearly all lacked legible dates, mintmarks or assayer initials. This one is identified as to date and mint by die matching with a similar two escudos. Assayer ARC(E) is known for 1694-1700.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 3.38 g, 0.917 fine gold, this specimen 3.39 grams.
Catalog reference: Cayón-unlisted, Restrepo-M64.12; S-B24; Cal-836; Fr-5; KM-13 (unlisted date).
- 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.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- Menzel, Sewall, Cobs, Pieces of Eight and Treasure Coins, New York: The American Numismatic Society, 2004.
- Restrepo, Jorge Emilio, Monedas de Colombia, 1619-2006, Medellin, Colombia, Impresiones Rojo: 2006.
- [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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