Colombia (Spanish Colonial): gold 8-escudos of Charles IV, 1808-NR JJ Obverse: CAROL•IIII•D•G• HISP•ET IND•R•, armored bust of Charles IV right. Reverse: IN•UTROQ•FELIX• •AUSPICE•DEO. Denomination (8 S) flanking crowned arms inside chain holding the Order of the Golden Fleece. •NR• mintmark and •J•J• mintmaster initials below. Double dot D:G variety. Issuer: Charles IV, King of Spain (1788-1808). Struck at the Casa de Moneda in Bogotá, Nueva Reina de Granada (now Colombia), under Spanish rule. Specifications: 27.06 g, .875 fine gold, .7615 oz AGW, 37 mm. Grade: PCGS AU58, cert #38916730. Reference: Numista-22976, KM-62.1, Restrepo 97.40a (per PCGS). Provenance: ex-Michael Swoveland, dba WNC Coins, LLC, 21 Feb 2022. Notes: The largest of the circulating Spanish Colonial gold coins at the peak of their empire, the 8-escudos piece was a mainstay of world trade during the colonial era and the European settlement of the Americas. The word escudo means "shield". Comments: These coins were also a big part of the booty seized by buccaneers during the "Golden Age of Piracy", though this particular example postdates that era and was struck shortly before the wars of independence fought by the Spanish colonies in the Americas. Even without its impressive colonial history and aesthetic appeal, this is a fairly massive piece of gold. It has a larger diameter than a US double eagle, though not quite as much gold content as the later American coin. 200000S
Very nice @lordmarcovan I have one as well. This one is not my photo...but that should be obvious. Mine is only a 53.
Lovely. You have some nice toning going on there. Speaking of which, I sold my 1-escudo, mostly because it was Charles IV also, and essentially a smaller version of the same design (and I'm getting ready to go back to a fixed-quantity "Box of _" (100) collection, so I don't need duplication. But it was a nicely toned piece. I wish my new 8- had toning as nice as the 1- did! PS- I like your CollecOnline sigline link, and the fact that you've set up there, as I now have.
I voted 6, which is lowest so far. I have specialized in U.S., British and Imperial Roman coins plus some related tokens and medals. A piece like this was probably used in the U.S. before the Civil War because we had a coin shortage at that time. Otherwise, it's not something that I add to my collection.
NR = Nuevo Reino de Granada, modern day Bogotá, JJ =Juan Rodríguez Uzquiano and Juan José Truxillo y Mutienx, mint master and assayer from 1780 to 1789
Thank you. I was wondering who that "JJ" mintmaster was. Turns out it's two J-name guys, then? Neat. But what about those dates?
What say ye about the $10 Indian that came in the same shipment? I've got a Gothic florin on the way, too, speaking of British. PCGS AU50. A bit of chatter in the fields, which I feel is compensated for by the toning, which I quite like.
To me, your poll isn't valid as I find the coin very appealing, but more because I'm so conditioned to seeing American coins that the different elements of design draw my attention in. Just my opinion. This is one reason I like buying bulk world coins and going through them.
I like it and find it interesting! Edit: My apologies. I had very erroneously posted a Potasi-Bolivia reference to this Colombia coin while suggesting "Cross had identified these as being very relevant to Colonial Canada (Charlton). He specifically notes Charles IV 1788-1808, the "denomination", and Potosi."
That's an excellent coin! Nice toning and strike. I've seen so many of these large gold coins harshly cleaned or ex-jewelry. My coin has some mileage on its meter. 26.8 grams
"JJ" are the initials for two assayers at the Bogota Mint. According to Krause they are Juan Jose Truxillo y Mutiienx, and Josef Antonio Rodriguez y Uzguiano.
Those polls are extremely unscientific and just for fun. It’s just something I do for the coins in my collection that get a full writeup. Which I’m hoping will be all of them… someday. Might never happen.
Sorry, I must have been daydreaming. Those dates for the two Js were during the reign of Carlos III. They carried on their good work from 1789 - when the news of the death of Carlos III in 1788 reached Colombia - up to 1809 under Carlos IIII.
Really neat coin. Gold doesn't seem to draw me in like it does some people, (or at least seldom enough bang for the buck), but I would love to own a piece that looks like that.