Peru 1721-L M escudo

from Sedwick Auction 37, lot 51

This specimen was lot 51 in Sedwick Auction 37 (Winter Park, FL, May 2025), where it sold for $8,400. The catalog description^[1] noted, "PERU, Lima, gold cob 1 escudo, 1721/0 M, very rare, NGC MS 62, finest and only example in NGC census, ex-Sellschopp, ex-Almenara. Broad flan with bold castle and date (including overdate), full cross despite slightly off-center strike, minor edge-split. The teardrop ornaments mentioned in the previous lot are now dots with tiny tails on the present coin. Note this coin is featured on the first page of color plates in the Sellschopp auction catalog (which missed the overdate). Pedigreed to the Sellschopp Collection (Swiss Bank Corp. auction of September 1988, lot 214) and to the UBS auction of September 1997 (lot 2389), also pedigreed to the Almenara Collection (stated on label), as well as the Glendining auction of March 1936 (lot 343)." This type is recorded for 1702-45 and all dates are rare with tiny mintages. The SCWC records a regular date for 1721 but we don't know if it exists. The Mexico City mint was converted to milled coinage in 1732-34 but Lima would not follow suit until 1751.

Recorded mintage: 878 (including the 1721/0 overdate).

Specification: 3.38 g, 0.917 fine gold, this specimen 3.38 grams.

Catalog reference: Cayón-9540, S-L28; Cal-1679; Fr-10; KM-35.

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 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.
• Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
• Menzel, Sewall, Cobs, Pieces of Eight and Treasure Coins, New York: The American Numismatic Society, 2004.
• ^[1]Sedwick, Daniel Frank, Augi Garcia, Cori Sedwick Downing, Connor Falk and Sarah Sproles, Treasure Auction 37, World, U.S Coins and Paper Money, featuring the Almenara Collection of Colonial Peruvian Gold Coins, Winter Park, FL: Daniel Frank Sedwick LLC, 2025.

Link to:

• 1719 escudo
• 1721 4 reales
• 1721 2 escudos
• 1721 8 escudos
• 1722 escudo
• Coins and currency dated 1721