Spain 1854 100 reales 7 point star
This specimen was lot 25159 in Heritage sale 3016 (Orlando, FL, January 2012), where it sold for $1,150. The catalog description[1] noted, "Isabel II gold 100 Reales 1854 Seville, seven pointed star mintmark, MS63 PCGS, a fully original coin with subtle patina and lustrous surfaces, seldom encountered in this quality." This type was struck in Barcelona, Madrid and Seville 1852-55. Instead of the traditional mintmarks the issues are distinguished by six, seven or eight pointed stars on the reverse (for Madrid, Seville and Barcelona). In 1850, the twenty reales was reduced to 26.91 grams and the copper maravedis dropped in favor of 1/20, 1/10 and 1/5 reales. Unfortunately, the government, financially prostrate as usual, was unable to remint the old coins, which continued to circulate as before. The coinage would be reformed a second time in 1866.
Recorded mintage: unknown but common for the type.
Specification: 22-22.3 mm diameter, 8.38 g, 0.900 fine gold, .242 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: Cayón-17363, KM 596.3.
- 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.
- O'Connor, Patrick, The Coins of Queen Isabel II of Spain: A Detailed Study of the Coins, Patterns and Medals of Her Reign, San Antonio, TX: Aurora Rarities, LLC, 2017.
- 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, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Tucker, Warren, Cristiano Bierrenbach and Scott Cordry, Heritage sale 3016, World and Ancient Coins, Dallas: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2011.
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