Mexico 1766-Mo MF 4 escudos
This specimen was lot 31206 in Heritage sale 3041 (Chicago, August 2015), where it sold for $6,462.50. The catalog description[1] noted, "Charles III gold 4 Escudos 1766/5 Mo-MF XF Details (Scratches) NGC, Mexico City mint, Overdate faint but certain. Lustrous and well detailed, with a few mild scratches to either side of the bust defining the grade but retaining good eye-appeal. An extremely rare overdate, currently one of two confirmed examples by the cataloguer, this being the finer: the present coin; a plugged, Fine example. The cataloguer also notes two confirmed specimens of the plain date 1766 variety: the Banco de Mexico collection specimen, VF; the Calico plate coin, illustrated by a pencil rubbing but obviously high grade, around XF or a tad better. As mentioned previously, one of only two known of the overdate variety, and a satisfying representative of the type despite the noted defects. From The Rudman Collection of Mexican Coins."` All Mexican colonial gold may be considered scarce. This type, the second showing the "rat nose" bust of Charles III, was struck 1762-71 only. Despite the extended years of production, it is very scarce.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 13.53 g, 0.917 fine gold, .399 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: Cayón-12595, KM 141, Cal-322.
- [1]Bierrenbach, Cristiano, Warren Tucker and David Michaels, Heritage World & Ancient Coins Auction 3041, featuring the Eric Beckman Collection of Canadian Coins, the Kaiser Collection of German Gold Coins and the Rudman Collection of Mexican Coins, Part I, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2015.
- 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.
- 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 Juan Carlos I, 1474 a 2001, Barcelona: Aureo & Calicó, 2008.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
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