Colombia 1626-NR E 2 escudos
This specimen was lot 65 in Sedwick Treasure Auction 38 (Winter Park, FL, November 2025), where it sold for $20,400. The catalog description[1] noted, "COLOMBIA, Cartagena, gold cob 2 escudos, 1626 assayer E below mintmark NR to right, unique, NGC MS 62, finest and only example in NGC census, Restrepo Plate. Broad flan with choice full cross-and-tressure sporting a very full and bold date (last digit weak on right side), very bold and nearly full shield with bold •NRE• to right and •II• to left, PHILI- of king's name in legend, some die-rust here and there, very important as the first known issue following the 1622 SF pieces (struck in Bogotá) with the same early cross but new shield (and mintmark), possibly with 6 engraved over 5 over 2 for the last digit of the date, in any case also unique as having mintmark NR instead of RN. Documents indicate that the Cartagena mint struck gold cobs without authorization from late 1626 through 1629 in an unofficial capacity as a "branch mint" to the "main" Nuevo Reino mint in Bogotá, which, after the "sample" issues of 1622, did not start striking its own gold cobs until 1628. Pedigreed to the Ponterio auction of January 2009 (lot 581), also Plate Coin M52.2 on page 86 of Lasser's Coins of Colombia (2012)." The SCWC notes this type for 1628-55 with known dates of 1633-36, 1651-55. Most survivors lack legible dates and therefore many dates are not listed altho the Santa Fé mint probably operated continuously during that period.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 6.77 g, 0.917 fine gold, this specimen 6.30 grams.
Catalog reference: Cayón-unlisted, Restrepo-M52.2; S-C7; Cal-1755; KM-4.4 (unlisted date); Fr-2a.
- Cayón, Adolfo, Clemente Cayón and Juan Cayón, Las Monedas Españolas, del Tremis al Euro: del 411 a Nuestros Dias, vol. 1, 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.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- 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.
- 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, Auction 38, 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, 2025.
Link to: