4 Escudo Peru Gold Ferdinand VI of Spain (1713-1759)

The diameter of this coin is just over 30 mm, making it by far the largest 1750 issue. Most 1750’s have a diameter of about 28 mm. In 1750 a new style of planchet preparation was being introduced at the Lima mint in anticipation of the machine-struck coinage to begin in 1751. Round thick gold planchets of about 23-24 mm were prepared. Under the pressures created by a mechanical press, these planchets would indeed expand to 33-34 mm, but when these small planchets were hand-struck, they fortunate to expand to 27-28 mm, creating 8 escudos close to 4 escudos size. A few early 1750’s, however, were struck from the old-style wider, thinner planchets. They are less round but also, fortunately, broader and able to capture more of the design. This coin is clearly struck on an old-style planchet and shows detail not visible on the smaller planchet 1750’s.
KM-A47