Spain 1771-S CF 1/2 escudo
This specimen was lot 1519 in Aureo y Calicó sale 423 (Barcelona, December 2023), where it sold for 175 € (about US$227 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted, "1771. Carlos III. Seville. CF. 1/2 escudo. Ex Aureo y Calicó 04/26/2012, no. 576. Scarce. MBC/MBC+ [very fine or better]." 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 but a slightly better date.
Specifications: 1.69 g, 0.875 fine gold, this specimen 1,76 g.
Catalog reference: KM 389.2, AC. 1301, Cayón-12166.
- 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 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]Sisó, Teresa, Eduard Domingo and Lluís Lalana, Subasta 422: Subasta Numismatica, Barcelona: Aureo y Calicó, 2023.
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