Peru 1698-C M 2 escudos
The first specimen was lot 25242 in Heritage sale 3019 (Chicago, April 2012), where it sold for $2,645. The catalog description[1] noted, "Carlos II gold Cob 2 Escudos 1698C-M, VF Details NGC (surface hairlines) 1715 Fleet, very crudely struck and cleaned at one time with some superficial patination remaining, readable 698 of the date and M. A rare type and a collectable example despite the blemishes." The second specimen was lot 28 in Sedwick sale 34 (Winter Park, FL, November 2023), where it sold for $21,600. The catalog description[2] noted, "Cuzco, Peru, gold cob 2 escudos, 1698 M, 'Lima cut,' NGC MS 64 (1715 Fleet Shipwreck Label, 300th Anniversary Find, 'top pop'). Typically broad flan ('Lima cut') with full crown and legends including the bold error RX for REX, nice full cross-lions-castles, full and lustrous (but doubled) pillars-and-waves, among the best-known examples (tied for finest graded at NGC with five others, including the next two lots). From the 1715 Fleet ("300th Anniversary Find")." This type from Cuzco is recorded for 1698 only. The Mexico City mint was converted to milled coinage in 1732-34 but Lima would not follow suit until 1751.
Recorded mintage: unknown but rare.
Specification: 6.77 g, 0.917 fine gold, .399 troy oz AGW, the second specimen 6.74 grams.
Catalog reference: Cayón-7810, S-CZ1; KM-28; Cal-855.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- 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.
- Menzel, Sewall, Cobs, Pieces of Eight and Treasure Coins, New York: The American Numismatic Society, 2004.
- 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.
- [1]Tucker, Warren, and Cristiano Bierrenbach, World and Ancient Coins sale 3019, Dallas: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2012.
- [2]Sedwick, Daniel Frank, Augi Garcia, Cori Sedwick Downing and Connor Falk, Treasure Auction 34, World, U.S Coins and Paper Money, Winter Park, FL: Daniel Frank Sedwick LLC, 2023.
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