South Peru
South Peruvian 8 Escudos
T he South Peruvian Gold 8 Escudos coin is a chance to own a piece of South American history. This example was the first issued by the short-lived State of South Peru. The coin itself is as good as any other design out of South America during the same period and has tremendous eye appeal. The coin has two variations which are both a one-year type, minted in 1837 and 1838
The on-screen example shows 'FEDERACION' on the reverse legend before it was changed later in 1837 to the word 'CONFEDERACION'. "The Coins of Independent Peru" notes the instruction to swap these words whilst also including a fifth star which was to feature on 1838 issues
The four stars represented each of the four departments of South Peru, which were also symbolized in the beautiful rendition of the State's coat of arms. Ayacucho is represented by the cornucopia, a horn-shaped basket refered to as the 'horn of plenty' to signify abundance. Cuzco represented by the fortress of the Incas), Arequipa by the el Misti volcano and Puno by the lake of Titicaca
The coin's reverse was one of the most advanced engravings of the era and shows a scene compiling a fortress, active volcano, a cornucopia with a sailing ship in the background
Historic Peruvian Gold
North Peru 8 Escudos
The North Peruvian 8 Escudos Gold Coin is a classic Latin rarity
The North Peru 8 Escudos weighs 27g, features a classic design of the Peruvian coat of arms and is elusive in mint state. Circulated coins typically command a price of £2,000-£3,000
Historic Peruvian Gold
Peru 8 Escudos
Ferdinand VII
The Peruvian 8 Escudos Gold Coin is a rare three-year type, featuring Ferdinand VII
This piece was created in the Americas due to the French invasion of Spain causing delays in shipping of proper dies from Europe. The design is referred to as the "Inca bust" due to its resemblance with the Peruvian native Americans. Circulated coins typically sell at £2,000-£3,000
Charles III
Peru 8 Escudos featuring Charles III are typically found in circulated condition with the 1770 design having no certified Mint State examples
Unsurprisingly, Charles III 8 Escudos values are highly influenced by condition, with higher circulated grades fetching between £2,000 and £3,500
Ferdinand VI
Ferdinand VI 8 Escudos
This three-year type was the first non-cob Peruvian 8 Escudos issue
The Peru Ferdinand VI 8 Escudos is a rare short-lived issue minted between 1754-1760. Coins dated 1754 are the rarest of the series. These coins were the first non-cob Peruvian Escudos. Cobs were irregular minted coins that were made to satisfy a weight only due to a need to export the precious metals back to Spain
Cobs were still issued under Ferdinand VI's reign but under this sovereign's reign the first non-cob Peruvian Escudos was struck. This short-lived type is virtually never seen in fine quality, only two 1759 examples have been graded by NGC and PCGS as meeting the criteria to be certified as Mint State