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8 Escudos - Fernando VII imaginary military bust
| Issuer | Casa de Moneda de Chile |
|---|---|
| Year | 1808-1811 |
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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 |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | The crowned Royal Arms of Spain displayed within a quartered shield, depicting the castles of Castile and the lions of León in the principal quarters, with the escutcheons of Aragon, Granada, and the House of Bourbon in the subordinate divisions. The shield is encircled by the collar and links of the Order of the Golden Fleece. The denomination numeral 8 appears to the left of the shield and the mint mark S to the right, with the assayer's initials F·J at the base. The surrounding legend reads ·AUSPICE·DEO· ·IN·UTROQ·FELIX·, meaning 'Under the auspices of God, happy in both.' A beaded border frames the entire design. |
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| Additional information |
Struck in Santiago during the opening crisis of Spanish imperial collapse, this issue bears what numismatists call an "imaginary bust" — a portrait invented by the colonial mint's engravers, who had never seen Fernando VII and had no official dies or approved design to work from. Fernando had been forced to abdicate in favor of Napoleon's brother Joseph in May 1808, meaning the king depicted here never actually governed the colony that struck his likeness. The Santiago mint simply continued producing coinage in his name because no political alternative had yet been formalized.
The military bust type was replaced once official dies arrived from Spain — making this variety a product of isolation as much as loyalty.