Baldwin & Sons
Auction 94 6 May 2015
View prices realized
► Sale information
Find similar lots
WORLD COINS, PHILIPPINES, Gold 8-Escudos, undated, countermarked coinage of Ferdinand VII of Spain (1808-1833), type V countermark from Manila (contractor Diego de los Reyes) for circulation in the Philippines (October 1832 - December 1834), crowned "F.7.o" within circle on Chile Gold 8-Escudos, 1826 I (KM 85; see Basso 41 for countermark type). In NGC holder certified "VF Details - Removed From Jewellery", mount marks at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock, host coin and countermark later gilt with a number of small surface marks and light wear, otherwise good very fine and excessively rare, this only the second recorded, KM states "unique"
"The background of the Philippines counterstamp began about 1810, when separatist movements against Spain started in the Central and South America colonies. The successes of these revolutions resulted in the establishment of governments which later became the independent states of Mexico, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina and other countries, and which, one by one, struck coins of their own design. The Spanish authorities in Manila, fearful that the new rebel coinage might imply recognition of the insurgent countries and apprehensive of the effect such coins might produce upon the minds of the Philippines, decided to remint these coins in such manner as to eliminate any trace of their source, and created an office for this purpose." (Aldo P Bass, Coins, Medals and Tokens of the Philippines, Chenby Publishers, 1968)
All countermarked gold coins of the Philippines are rare, most of the surviving specimens having been mounted for jewellery purposes, thus escaping being melted. Only 1781 8-Escudos with Ferdinand VII type V countermark have been issued, of which only two are recorded with a Chile 1826 8-Escudos host coin, the example in this lot being the second to come to auction. The first was sold by Aureo y Calico for €22,000 (hammer), 8 April 2009, lot 672
Estimate: £10,000-12,000
"The background of the Philippines counterstamp began about 1810, when separatist movements against Spain started in the Central and South America colonies. The successes of these revolutions resulted in the establishment of governments which later became the independent states of Mexico, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina and other countries, and which, one by one, struck coins of their own design. The Spanish authorities in Manila, fearful that the new rebel coinage might imply recognition of the insurgent countries and apprehensive of the effect such coins might produce upon the minds of the Philippines, decided to remint these coins in such manner as to eliminate any trace of their source, and created an office for this purpose." (Aldo P Bass, Coins, Medals and Tokens of the Philippines, Chenby Publishers, 1968)
All countermarked gold coins of the Philippines are rare, most of the surviving specimens having been mounted for jewellery purposes, thus escaping being melted. Only 1781 8-Escudos with Ferdinand VII type V countermark have been issued, of which only two are recorded with a Chile 1826 8-Escudos host coin, the example in this lot being the second to come to auction. The first was sold by Aureo y Calico for €22,000 (hammer), 8 April 2009, lot 672
Estimate: £10,000-12,000