Philip II 1 Escudo

The 1 Escudo from Philip II's reign was struck from gold mined in the New World, often funding his endless wars and inquisitions across Europe.

That metal came from places like Peru, melted down and hammered into coins that circulated from Antwerp to Manila. The design was straightforward: the king's profile on one side, the Spanish arms on the other, all on a planchet about the size of a modern quarter. Mints varied, with Seville being the primary one, though records for exact outputs are spotty—many burned in the 18th-century archives fire.

I've handled dozens of these over the years, and they're sturdier than you'd expect for something that old. If you think it's a doubloon, well, that's just collectors confusing their fantasies.