ObverseImage: Wikimedia Commons · unknow · CC BY-SA 4.0
Philip III 4 Escudos
Spain
1598–1621
Reference data compiled from public catalogs
Estimated Melt Value
$1,872.07
Based on Gold spot price ($4,795.98/oz) · 90.0% purity · 13.49g
Updated 6:41 PM
Collector premium not included
Specifications
| Country | Spain |
| Years Minted | 1598–1621 |
| Composition | Gold |
| Weight | 13.49 g |
| Diameter | 30 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Plain |
Design
Obverse
Bust of King Philip III facing right.
Reverse
Shield with the arms of Castile and Leon.
History & Notable Facts
The 4 Escudos of Philip III was struck from gold sourced directly from the Americas, a direct line from colonial mines to the Madrid mint.
That metal often came in uneven planchets, recycled from melted silver reales to stretch resources during Spain's fiscal woes. The obverse bears the Habsburg arms, encircled by the king's name and title, while the reverse shows the Pillars of Hercules with "Plus Ultra," a nod to imperial expansion. No two seem exactly alike due to the era's rudimentary striking techniques.
Exact mintage figures? Lost to time, probably in one of the palace fires. Records from 1598 to 1621 are spotty at best.
Some call it a cousin to the famous doubloon. They're not wrong, but it's the poor relation.
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