Spain 1787-M DV 1/2 escudo

from the Mountain Groan Collection

This type was struck at the Madrid and Seville mints 1772-88. Mintages are not recorded but Seville seems to be slightly scarcer than Madrid. Half escudos were first struck in Spain in 1738 and were issued in fairly large numbers until 1788. The issues of 1772-85 are 0.901 fine, those of 1786-88 are 0.875 fine. There are a few half escudos known from the reign of Charles IV but they are very rare (KM 433). The issue of half escudos did not begin at the colonial mints until 1814, and then only in small numbers.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 1.69 g, 0.875 fine gold, .048 troy oz AGW.

Catalog reference: Fr-290, Cayón-12199, KM 425.1.

Source:

• Cayón, Adolfo, Clemente Cayón and Juan Cayón, Las Monedas Españolas, del Tremis al Euro: del 411 a Nuestros Dias, vol. 1, 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.

Link to:

• 1783-M ½ escudo
• 1786-M 4 escudos
• 1787-Seg 4 maravedis
• 1787-M escudo
• 1787-S escudo
• 1787-M 2 escudos
• 1787-S 2 escudos
• 1787-S 4 escudos
• 1787-S 8 escudos
• 1788-S ½ escudo
• Coins and currency dated 1787
• return to Spanish pre-decimal coinage (maravedis, reales and escudos)