Hi all, Take a look at the reverse on this 1/2 escudo: http://cgi.ebay.com/1743-SPANISH-PI...goryZ547QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem There's what appears to be a four leaf clover type impression there. One of my 1/2 escudos has the same thing on it. Is this some kind of mark that has been added post production, sort of like the chop-marks on the trade dollars? Anyone got any ideas? -StephenS
Stephen,yes it is.The vendor says that a Doubloon is the 2 Escudos,which is actually wrong.The Doubloon is actually the nickname for the 8 Escudos. Aidan.
So, it is some kind of recognition type mark? What does it mean? Is there a variety of different marks?
Stephen,it is actually a merchant's test mark that was used to check the fineness of the gold.There are a wide variety of chop marks. Aidan.
The coin in the auction link posted is a half escudo. Chop marks were used by Chinese merchants and they were placed on coins to signify that they (the merchant) had tested or examined the coin and that they were satisfied it was genuine. The chop mark itself had nothing to do the actual testing - chop marks are merely a stamp of approval. The term doubloon applied to the 2 escudos coin - not the 8 escudos. The term itself means double. But the term has over the years become a colloquialism and is often used to describe just about any Spanish gold coin of any denomination of the time period.
