1 Escudo - Felipe V

Felipe V inherited the Spanish throne in 1700 following the death of the childless Carlos II, triggering the War of the Spanish Succession that consumed the first decade of his reign. The Mexico City mint continued striking gold escudos throughout the conflict, though crown finances were under severe strain — Habsburg claimants actively contested Bourbon control of Spanish colonial revenues, making every shipment of New World gold politically charged.

KM#51 cob-style pieces from this period were struck by hand on irregular planchets, and the date is frequently off-flan or only partially visible. Full, legible dates within this range command significant premiums over partial examples.