1725-CA JJ Spain, Gold 4 Escudos NGC MS-62 - Price Upon Request

1725 Cuenca JJ 4 Escudos, Spain Ex. Caballero de las Yndias Collection - Finest Known!

In 1725, the Cuenca mint, a historic Spanish facility tracing its origins to the 14th century and the rule of Yahya al-Qudir of the Taifa of Toledo (1075-1085), struck a rare 4 Escudos gold coin during the reign of Philip V—an exquisite piece now graded NGC MS62, the finest known, from the Caballero de las Yndias Collection. Philip V, who ruled from 1700 to 1724, had abdicated for his son Louis I, only to resume his throne in 1725 after Louis’ brief seven-month reign ended in smallpox. This coin, minted in that pivotal year, bears the crowned arms and order collar on the obverse with the inscription "PHILLIPPUS V DEI GRA," and a cross in quatrefoil on the reverse reading "HISPANIARUM REX CA JJ 4 1725." Measuring 32 mm in diameter, weighing 13.5 grams, and composed of 0.917 pure gold (KM #334), it represents a golden rarity from the Spanish Empire, struck in limited quantities before the Cuenca mint’s closure in 1728.

The Cuenca mint’s history is as rich as the coins it produced. Modernized in 1661 with hydraulic engines, it initially minted copper coins but fell into disuse under Charles II. Revived in 1717 under Philip V, it began producing significant silver coinage. In 1718, the mint was further upgraded to strike round coinage, and Juan Jose Garcia Caballero, a skilled assayer from the Segovia mint, was appointed to oversee operations, marking his work with the initials "JJ" seen on this 4 Escudos piece. That same year, the Madrid mint was integrated into the Royal Treasury, shifting the focus of gold coinage to the empire’s capital, where gold began to be minted regularly. By 1725, Cuenca’s output was limited but significant, producing rare denominations like the 2, 4, and 8 Escudos—the latter being a highlight of Spanish numismatics. These 1725 coins marked the end of Cuenca’s minting legacy, as the facility closed in 1728, its equipment relocated to Madrid.

This 4 Escudos coin, offered by AUCM, encapsulates a fleeting moment in Spanish history: a mint on the cusp of closure, a king reclaiming his throne, and a shift in the empire’s coinage priorities. Its exceptional condition, despite its age, and its status as the finest known example make it a numismatic treasure. The Cuenca mint, once a cornerstone of Spanish coin production since medieval times, left behind a legacy of rarity with these final gold pieces, each a testament to the craftsmanship of Juan Jose Garcia Caballero and the enduring allure of Spain’s 18th-century coinage.