Spain 1867 10 escudos 6 point star
This specimen was lot 72299 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, October 2021), where it sold for $750. The catalog description[1] noted, "SPAIN. 10 Escudos, 1867. Madrid Mint (6-pointed star). Isabel II. NGC MS-63. . A penultimate issue for Isabel II, this choice piece offers charming brilliance and luster, along with a yellow-gold hue." This Spanish ten escudos was struck in Madrid during the late years of Isabel II (1833-68). This type was struck in Madrid and Seville 1865-68. 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. This having proven unsatisfactory, the coinage was reformed again in 1864. The twenty reales was dropped in favor of a two escudos silver coin, reduced to 25.96 grams. One hundred centimos = one escudo. 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 third time in 1869.
Recorded mintage: unknown but a common date.
Specification: 8.39 g, 0.900 fine gold, AGW: 0.2427 oz.
Catalog reference: Fr-336; KM-636.1, Cayón-17405.
- 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.
- 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.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The October 2021 Collector's Choice sale: World and Ancient Coins, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2021.
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