Felipe V, 1700-1746.

8 Escudos 1725 JJ, Cuenca. Crowned shield, surrounded by the collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece / Spanish cross in quadrilobe. 26,97g. Calicó 2 (rarísima); Cayón 9987; Fr. 241a (very rare); La Onza 207 (this coin).

Probably unique. Nice extremely fine.

Provenance:
NAC Auction 65 (19 May 2012), 3037.

In 1719 the Eight Escudos pieces were simplified into a unique type with a single necklace that would feature both Holy Spirit’s Star and Golden Fleece. Seville and Madrid had not been able to match the Segovian perfection of 1721, 1723 and 1724 works. But in 1725, following this tradition and taking over, Cuenca minted the doubloons of eight escudos with a perfection that only Segovia had achieved to date. Possibly it was a test of both machinery and workers that would later be taken to Madrid.

From the photos we can easily infer that it did not circulate at all, that it must have been a pattern and of course, ignoring the small planchet flaw, minted with great perfection. As a curiosity, the edge of the Cuenca shields is unique, rosette, and will not be used until the doubloons of Ferdinand VI, from 1747 in Madrid.

Ignacio Gutiérrez Delgado “Los Doblones de a Ocho Escudos”