Spain 1711-S M 8 escudos
This specimen was lot 35129 in Heritage sale 3094 (Chicago, August 2021), where it sold for $8,400. The catalog description[1] noted, "Spain: Philip V gold 8 Escudos 1711/0 S-M AU55 NGC, Seville mint, Retrograde S. Obv. Crowned Bourbon Coat of Arms. Rev. Cross in quatrefoil. A superb example of this elusive type, with an interesting overdate to boot. The finest of only two examples certified by NGC (and none by PCGS), with a hint of reflectivity to the reverse fields that only serves to bolster an already extremely desirable piece." Altho this coin is machine struck, the style of this Spanish eight escudos is very reminiscent of the gold cobs being struck in New Spain at the time. All Spanish eight escudos are rare compared to their Latin American counterparts and this issue is no exception. The Madrid issues are substantially rarer than the Seville issues. The portrait type was adopted in 1729 and extended to the Mexico City mint in 1732.
Recorded mintage: unknown but rare.
Specification: 27.07 g, 0.917 fine gold.
Catalog reference: Cayón-9931, KM 260, Cal-171, Fr-247.
- 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.
- 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]Cristiano Bierrenbach, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, ANA WFOM World & Ancient Coins Platinum Night Signature Auction #3094, featuring the Cape Coral Collection, the WTR Collection and the Monaco Collection, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2021.
Link to: