Catalog
8 Escudos - Fernando VI first bust of Fernando VI, Inverted Fleece
| Issuer | Casa de Moneda de Chile |
|---|---|
| Year | 1750-1758 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 27.0674 g |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | FERDINANDUS VI D G HISP REX 1751 |
| Reverse description | The quartered Royal Arms of Spain, comprising castles and lions with the Granada pomegranate in base, surmounted by an ornate royal crown, occupies the central field. The shield is encircled by the collar and pendant of the Order of the Golden Fleece, depicted here inverted — the distinguishing variety feature of this issue. The mint mark So (Santiago) appears at lower left and the assayer initial J at lower right, separated by small rosette stops. The circular Latin legend NOMINA MAGNA SEQUOR runs around the upper periphery, referencing Virgil's Aeneid. |
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| Additional information |
The Santiago mint, established in 1743, was still finding its footing during Fernando VI's reign — quality control on early Chilean gold was notoriously inconsistent, and the assayer responsible for each piece was held personally liable for fineness deviations. The "inverted fleece" variety refers to a misalignment in the Order of the Golden Fleece badge on the royal arms, a die-cutting error that escaped inspection and propagated across a documented subset of this emission.
Fernando VI died in 1759 after months of severe mental deterioration following his queen's death, ending this bust type abruptly.