Spain 1796-M MF 2 escudos

Sincona sale 18, lot 3911

This specimen was lot 3911 in Sincona sale 18 (Zurich, May 2014), where it sold for CHF 300 (about US$395 including buyer's fees). The catalog description^[1] noted,

"2 Escudos 1796. Madrid Mmz. MF. Sehr schön-gutes sehr schön. (Spain, two escudos of 1796, Madrid mint, very fine to good very fine.)"

This type was struck in Madrid 1788-1808 (KM 435.1) and Seville 1790-1808 (KM 435.2) and is not especially rare tho choice specimens are always in demand. Two escudos were struck in metropolitan Spain 1738-1833 in considerable numbers and are quite a bit more common than their counterparts from Latin America, where the two escudos was a rare denomination. Assayer MF is listed for 1788-1800.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 6.77 g, .901 fine gold, .196 troy oz AGW, this specimen 6.75 g.

Catalog reference: Cayón-14203, C.T. 274. Fr-296; KM-435.1.

Source:

• 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.
• 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]Numismatic Coins, Medals, & Banknotes: Auction 18, Zurich: SINCONA AG, 2014.

Link to:

• 1794-M 2 escudos
• 1796-M 4 reales
• 1796-M ½ escudo
• 1796-M escudo
• Colombia 1796-NR JJ 2 escudos
• Colombia 1796-P JF 2 escudos
• Mexico 1796-Mo FM 2 escudos
• 1797-M 2 escudos
• Coins and currency dated 1796
• return to Spanish pre-decimal coinage (maravedis, reales and escudos)