AUTHENTIC SPANISH TREASURE COINS

Spanish Bust - One Escudo

Spanish Gold treasure coin of One Escudo of Gold Doubloon from King Ferdinand VII, displaying the portrait of Charles IIII.  Larger that the one half Escudo Gold.  About the size of a USA 1 cent coin.  Minted in the New World mint in The Viceroy of Nuero Granada, South America.  Mounted in Hand made 18kt. Gold Pendant.
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Spanish Gold coin #5 - Call 713-539-9340 for price

Spanish Bust  One Escudo ~ 1813

Obverse:  FERDND VII.D.G.HISP.ET IND.R. his draped bust right, date below.
Reverse:  FELIX.A.D.MF.P.IN.ULTROQ.  around THE crowned arms of the House of Bourbon, assayer mark, denomination, and order of Golden Fleece visible.

     Ferdinand VII, byname Ferdinand the Desired, was the eldest son of Carlos IIII and Maria Luisa of Parma.  He succeeded to the throne  upon his Father's abdication after Carlos was overthrown by the revolt of Aranjuez (March 17, 1808).  Ferdidnand was almost immediately incarcerated by Napoleon for the remainder of the Napoleonic wars.  Napoleon then placed his brother Joseph Bonaparte at the head of the Spanish government.  After the Duke of Wellington's successful campaigns in the Iberian Peninsula, coupled with the creation of the Constitution of Cadiz by independent Spaniards, Napoleon released Ferdinand to resume his absolute power as the Spanish monarch.

     It quickly became evident he did not possess the ability to govern effectively.  His efforts to recover control of Spanish America proved futile as his ministers could neither reinforce his armies in America, nor persuade the British government to collaborate in reconquest.  His inept manner inflamed the liberal revolutionaries and he was again imprisoned in 1820.  In 1823, Louis XVIII of France sent a large army to secure the release of Ferdinand from his radical ministers.  Ferdinand's new government arrested or drove the revolutionary faction into exile.  By this time Spain had lost all of its possessions in North and South America.

     Having no children with his first three spouses, Maria Cristina, his fourth wife presented him with a daughter.  Her name was Isabella and she ascended to the throne upon the death of her father in 1833.

     New Spain never recognized Napoleon's detention of Ferdinand VII and the reign of French-imposed Joseph Bonaparte.  Consequently, they struck coins bearing the portrait of Ferdinand VII throughout the reign of Napoleon's brother.  Spanish American  issues were coined in denominations of 8, 4, 2, 1, 1/2 and 1/4 Reales.  Gold coinage was struck in units of 8, 4, 2, 1, and 1/2 escudos.

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