Spain 1788-M M 1/2 escudo
The first specimen was lot 3928 in Goldberg sale 75 (Los Angeles, September 2013), where it sold for $391. The catalog description[1] noted, "Spain. ½ Escudo, 1788-M (Madrid). Charles III. NGC graded MS-62." The second specimen was lot 74632 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, February 2023), where it sold for $690. The catalog description[2] noted, "SPAIN. 1/2 Escudo, 1788/7-M M/DV. Madrid Mint. Charles III. NGC MS-62. This lovely gold fraction displays a SCARCE overdate and over-assayer. Both of these features are clearly visible on the surfaces along with exquisite details and lustrous fields. A highly alluring example." This type was struck in Madrid 1786-88 (KM 425.1) and Seville 1786-88 (KM 425.2) and is common tho choice specimens are always in demand. Half escudos were struck in metropolitan Spain 1738-97 in considerable numbers and are quite a bit more common than their silver equals, the eight reales. This is opposite from Latin America, where silver pesos were minted in vast quantities but half escudos would not be minted until the reign of Ferdinand VII. Assayer DV is also noted for 1788 but is rare.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 1.69 g, 0.875 fine gold, .047 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: Cayón-12202, Fr-290; KM 425.1; Cal-1283.
- 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.
- [1]Goldberg, Ira, Larry Goldberg, Jason Villareal and Steven Harvey, Goldberg Sale 75: the pre-Long Beach Sale, Los Angeles: Goldberg Coins & Collectibles, 2013.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- 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]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, February 2023 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, featuring the David Sterling Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2023.
Link to:
- 1787-M ½ escudo
- 1788-Seg 2 maravedis
- 1788-Seg 4 maravedis, Charles III
- 1788-S ½ real
- 1788-M real
- 1788-M 2 reales
- 1788-S 2 reales
- 1788-M 4 reales
- 1788-M 8 reales, Charles III
- 1788-S 8 reales, Charles III
- 1788-S 8 reales, Charles IV
- 1788-M ½ escudo, Charles IV
- 1788-S ½ escudo
- 1788-M M escudo
- 1788-M DV escudo
- 1788-M 2 escudos
- 1788-S 2 escudos
- 1788-M 4 escudos, Charles III
- 1788-S 4 escudos
- 1788-M 8 escudos, Charles III
- 1788-M 8 escudos, Charles IV
- 1788-S 8 escudos
- 1793-M ½ escudo
- return to Spanish pre-decimal coinage (maravedis, reales and escudos)
- Coins and currency dated 1788