Spain 1770-M PJ 1/2 escudo
This specimen was lot 73029 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, November 2022), where it sold for $168. The catalog description[1] noted, "SPAIN. 1/2 Escudo, 1770-M PJ. Madrid Mint. Charles III. ANACS VF-30 Details--Cleaned. Despite the noted cleaning, the present example retains strong details and a golden shimmer." This type was struck at the Madrid and Seville mints 1759-72. Mintages are not recorded but Seville seems to be slightly scarcer than Madrid. Half escudos were first struck in Spain in 1738 and were issued in fairly large numbers until 1788. The issues of 1772-85 are 0.901 fine, those of 1786-88 are 0.875 fine. There are a few half escudos known from the reign of Charles IV but they are very rare (KM 433). The issue of half escudos did not begin at the colonial mints until 1814, and then only in small numbers.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 1.69 g, 0.901 fine gold.
Catalog reference: Cayón-12162 (young bust), Fr-274; KM-389.1; Cal-1252.
- 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.
- 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]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The November 2022 Collectors Choice Ancient & World Coins Auction, Featuring the Pat Johnson Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2022.
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