Catalog
400 Euro 8 Escudos 1770 Guatemala
| Issuer | Real Casa de la Moneda (Royal Mint of Spain) |
|---|---|
| Year | 2025 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Proof |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | A faithful relief reproduction of the obverse of the original 1770 Guatemala 8 Escudos gold coin is depicted at the centre of the field, showing the right-facing draped bust of King Charles III of Spain with flowing curled hair, set within the irregular planchet outline characteristic of the milled colonial coinage. The legend of the original coin, CAROLUS III D G HISP ET IND REX, curves around the bust within the reproduction. The modern legend ESPANA 2025 arcs along the upper border of the commemorative coin, while the inscription 8 ESCUDOS 1770 GUATEMALA is engraved in bold lettering along the lower border, all rendered in sharp proof finish against a mirror field. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | A faithful relief reproduction of the reverse of the original 1770 Guatemala 8 Escudos gold coin occupies the central field, depicting the crowned Royal Arms of Spain within an ornate wreath of floral and cross motifs, closely replicating the design of the colonial prototype. The motto MM IN UTROQ FELIX AUSPICE DEO curves around the central device, flanked by the assayer initials G G, reproducing the legend of the original escudo. Two crowned Madrid mint marks (M) appear in the outer field at left and right. The modern denomination 400 EURO is inscribed at the top of the field, while JOYAS DEL MUSEO CASA DE LA MONEDA arcs along the lower border in bold letters, all rendered in high-relief proof finish against a mirror field. |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
This piece is a modern restrike — or more precisely, a commemorative reproduction — issued by the Casa de la Moneda de España honoring the colonial-era 8 escudos struck at the Santiago de Guatemala mint, one of the shorter-lived mints in the Spanish imperial system. The original 1770 Guatemala City issues were produced under the assayer-supervised milled coinage system introduced decades earlier to standardize colonial gold output, at a mint that would be devastated and ultimately relocated following the catastrophic Santa Marta earthquakes of 1773.
The Guatemala mint never achieved the output volumes of Mexico City or Lima. Three years after this coin's prototype was struck, the city ceased to function as a colonial capital.