Catalog
2 Escudos - Charles IV
| Issuer | Spanish Colonial Administration (Potosí Mint) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1789-1790 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | The quartered royal arms of Spain, comprising the castles of Castile and lions of León in alternate quarters, with the pomegranate of Granada in base and the fleurs-de-lis of the House of Bourbon in an inescutcheon at centre, all surmounted by a royal crown. The denomination numeral 2 appears to the left of the shield and the escudo symbol S to the right. The Potosí mint mark (PTS in monogram) and assayer initials PR are positioned in the lower field flanking the base of the shield. The surrounding Latin legend IN·UTROQ·FELIX·AUSPICE·DEO proclaims felicity in both worlds under God's auspices. |
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| Additional information |
The Potosí mint's transition from Charles III to Charles IV coinage in 1789–1790 created one of the more administratively tangled episodes in colonial minting history. News of Charles III's death in December 1788 reached the Viceroyalty of Río de la Plata months late, and the mint continued striking in the old king's name well into 1789 before the changeover was authorized. The first Charles IV issues from Potosí therefore overlap in production date with late Charles III pieces, complicating attribution for this specific transitional window.
Potosí gold escudos from this era were produced in comparatively small quantities relative to the mint's silver output — the mountain's silver still dominated operations entirely.