ObverseImage: Wikimedia Commons · Tank historian boi · CC BY-SA 4.0
Charles IV 8 Escudos
Spain
1788–1808
Reference data compiled from public catalogs
Market Price Range
Based on 4 eBay listings · Prices vary by grade and condition
Estimated Melt Value
$3,824.14
Based on Gold spot price ($4,791.655/oz) · 91.7% purity · 27.07g
Updated 6:03 PM
Collector premium not included
Specifications
| Country | Spain |
| Years Minted | 1788–1808 |
| Composition | 0.917 gold |
| Weight | 27.07 g |
| Diameter | 37 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Reeded |
Design
Obverse
The obverse features the bust of King Charles IV facing right.
Reverse
The reverse depicts the Spanish coat of arms surrounded by pillars and a motto.
History & Notable Facts
The 8 Escudos of Charles IV were struck from gold sourced mainly from Mexican mines, funding Spain's endless wars and court extravagances.
That makes them a tangible link to the era's imperial overreach. The obverse typically shows the king's bust, facing right, with the reverse featuring the Spanish coat of arms flanked by the Pillars of Hercules. Mints varied—Madrid, Mexico City, and others—but exact production figures for many years remain murky, lost in bureaucratic haze.
As for myths, I've heard tales of these coins being cursed or hidden in pirate hoards. Nonsense; they were just currency, though valuable ones. Some years saw edge lettering to deter clipping, a practical measure that worked about as well as you'd expect.
Collectors might quibble over die varieties, but that's their game.
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