Spain 1868 4 escudos (68)
This specimen was lot 43459 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2023), where it sold for $240. The catalog description[1] noted, "SPAIN. 4 Escudos, 1868 (68). Madrid Mint; mm: six-pointed star. Isabel II. PCGS MS-62." This Spanish four escudos was struck in Madrid during the late years of Isabel II (1833-68). This type was struck in Madrid and Seville 1864-68. 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.
Specification: 18 mm diameter, 3.33 g, 0.900 fine gold, .097 troy oz AGW (matches the old one escudo).
Catalog reference: Cayón-17287, Fr-337; KM-631.1.
- 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]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The January 2023 NYINC Auction: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, featuring the Taraszka Collection and the Mark and Dottie Salton Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2022.
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