South American Gold
Gold 8 Escudos Coins
G old coins from South America are some of the most popular designs in the world with some investors just focusing on that region alone. The historic Gold 8 Escudos is the top of the range for a South American Gold coin collector. The Gold 8 Escudos is the largest of the Escudo coins that circulated Latin America with other denominations in 1⁄2, 1, 2 and 4 Escudos
This guide will acquaint investors with these beautiful South American treasures. The 8 Escudo coins are very similar to British Guinea coins insofar that their value is very dependant on the condition of the coin, with some Mint State coins fetching tens of thousands of pounds in the market. Some of the coins featured here are extremely rare and incredibly hard to source
Gold Bolivia 8 Escudos
Guide Price
£3,500-£6,500
Bolivia 8 Escudos
Coin Weight: 27.1g
Gold Purity: 0.875
Bolivia is a landlocked country in South America that shares borders with Peru and Chile. The design on the Bolivian Escudo features a lama, sheaf and the famous Cerro Rico. This being a mountain of Silver and Gold in the Andes near the city of Potosi. The mountain is one of the largest Silver mines in Bolivia and was accidently discovered in 1545 by a Spanish Silver miner whilst he was searching for an Inca Shrine
This design was used as an obverse to three different presidents such as Simón Bolívar. The designs are rare to find and typically command a lower premium than other Escudo coins from the region yet is still a prized trophy for the advanced collector of world gold
Chile 8 Escudos
Coin Weight: 27.1g
Chile is a slender country stretching along South America's western edge with plenty of Pacific Ocean coastline. Chile's main export is copper ore but has a sizable Gold mining industry of its own. Chile has some nice examples of national Gold coins with them also adopting the Escudo during the 18th Century
Gold Purity: 0.875
The design featured on Chile's 8 Escudo illustrates a radiant sun between two erupting volcanoes with the obverse of the coin showing the crossed Chilean flag. As with most Gold Escudos, the piece showcases alluring cartwheeling legends which was common from this era to prevent edges being clipped
Costa Rica 8 Escudos
Gold Costa Rica 8 Escudos
Guide Price
£10,000-£30,000
Produced by the San Jose mint, the Costa Rican Gold 8 Escudo coin is the ultimate for historic South American Gold collectors. With official records showing less than 12,000 of these coins exist, securing this design in good condition requires a large budget. Wear is usually observed first on the sun's face on this type which will act as a guide to the coin's general condition
This is a stunning depicting a radiant, personified sun over a mountainous landscape with the obverse centering a ceiba tree, which is native to the tropical region. The coin was struck in 1828, 1833 and 1837 with the latter being the most rare. This design is an altogether enchanting example of South America's greatest golden treasures and is a dream-coin for the any Latin American collector
A true treasure of Latin America, Costa Rica's Gold 8 Escudos displays what is often considered the most iconic and classic design of the Latin American republican series
An ever-popular type owing to its grand illustrations and status as hailing from a now extinct state, this design is always in high demand when found and fetches extremely large premiums when close to mint state
Ecuador 8 Escudos
The Ecuador 8 Escudo coin is very elusive, sought-after in any grade and is a must for the connoisseur of high-end Latin American gold
Gold Ecuador 8 Escudos
Guide Price
£12,500-£35,000
Issued by the Quito mint and known in the industry as the 'Moby Dick coin' for appearing in the film as the captain nails the coin to the mast and promises it to the first man who 'raises' Moby Dick. The coin is a three-year type with coins struck in 1841 being the scarcest of the range
This resplendent coin originates in a country planted in the middle of the world and named after the equator that passes through it. The design depicts a radiant sun above a scene of three Andes' summits. One resembling an active volcano due to a visible flame, a castle nested on another and a crowing cock on the middle peak. A partitioned zodiac arches over the scene
Argentina 8 Escudos
A great South American rarity, Argentina's first independent gold issue, the 1813 "Sunface" 8 Escudos is one of the beautiful designs of the early 18th century South America
The sunface design is one of the most enduring and iconic motifs from early Latin Republican coinage. The bright design represents the optimism of the continent following the end of Spanish occupation and oppression. The Sunface is a popular design and is typical of designs of the period in South America
Argentina's national flag features the 'Sunface', becoming the country's national emblem with its origins in the 1810 Revolution, the start of Argentina's war of independence
While encountered from time to time with wear from circulation or other damages, uncirculated examples of this design are extremely scarce with demand that easily outpaces supply, in fact, coins in mint state are so rare that when offerings surface, they have traded hands for over US$100,000
Gold Argentina 8 Escudos
Guide Price
