Bourbon 1 Escudo

The Bourbon 1 Escudo was the first Spanish gold coin to bear the profile of a French-born monarch, Philip V, signaling the awkward merger of dynasties after the War of Spanish Succession.

This coin, struck in 22-karat gold, typically weighed around 3.38 grams and featured intricate designs that evolved over the reigns of four Bourbon kings. Early versions showed Philip V's youthful face on the obverse, with a crowned shield on the reverse, reflecting Spain's imperial claims. Mints in Madrid, Seville, and a few colonial outposts produced them, though exact outputs vary by year—some records burned in the 19th-century archives fire.

Collectors often chase these for their ties to pivotal events, like the 1808 invasion. But don't believe the tales of them funding pirate fleets; that's romantic nonsense. Most ended up as trade fodder in the Americas.

Variants exist, some with crude strikes due to wartime shortages, making authentication tricky. If you're handling one, check for the telltale edge reeding—it's rarely faked well.