COIN HOARD

Description

Eight Spanish-American gold 8-escudos of Charles IV of Spain, discovered on the 11^th April 2010, 25^th April 2010, 25^th November 2011 and 27^th November 2011. The coins discovered on the 11th April and the 25th April were assigned the treasure reference number 2010 T271 and the two coins discovered on the 25th and 27th November were assigned the treasure reference number 2011 T868.

These eight coins were discovered in the same area in which a hoard of 18 gold 8-escudos was found on the 20th June 1928. The hoard was declared Treasure Trove by the Lincoln South District Coroner in September 1928 and five coins were acquired by the British Museum.

The coins were deposited during the time of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars, when gold coin was being carefully hoarded in England. Coin hoards are relatively rare after the time of the English Civil War, but the decades of the 1790s and 1800s are exceptions, especially with regard to gold. There are a significant number of such gold hoards on this scale, from between about 1794 to 1808, of from 8 to 57 gold coins. Spanish-American gold of this period was made to a standard of 88% fine gold. At the time of deposit, the value of the two groups of Lincoln coins, now numbering 24, would have equated to several thousand pounds in terms of modern-day purchasing power.

Catalogue

1. Obverse inscription: CAROL.IV.D.G.HISP.ET IND.R.1790.

Obverse description: Armored and draped bust right *

Reverse inscription: IN.UTROQ.FELIX.AUSPICE.DEO.

Reverse description: Crowned Arms in Collar of the Golden Fleece, 8, at left and S at right, within garter.

Date: 1790

Mint & mint mark: P, Popayan, Colombia. Assayers initials: SF

Diameter: 37mm; Weight: 24.46g

2. Obverse inscription: CAROL.IIII.D.G.HISP.ET IND.R.1793.

Obverse description: Armored and draped bust right

Reverse inscription: IN.UTROQ.FELIX.AUSPICE.DEO.

Reverse description: Crowned Arms in Collar of the Golden Fleece, 8, at left and S at right, within garter.

Date: 1793

Mint & mint mark: NR, Nuevo Reino (Bogota), Colombia. Assayers initials: J.J

Diameter: 37mm; Weight: 24.38g

3. Obverse inscription: CAROL.IIII.D.G.HISP.ET IND.R.1798.

Obverse description: Armored and draped bust right *

Reverse inscription: IN.UTROQ.FELIX.AUSPICE.DEO.

Reverse description: Crowned Arms in Collar of the Golden Fleece, 8, at left and S at right, within garter.

Date: 1798

Mint mark and Mint: 'O' over 'S'; Santiago, Chile. Assayers initials: DA

Diameter: 37mm; Weight: 24.52g

4. Obverse inscription: CAROL.III.D.G.HISP.ET IND.R.1800.

Obverse description: Armored and draped bust right *

Reverse inscription: IN.UTROQ.FELIX.AUSPICE.DEO.

Reverse description: Crowned Arms in Collar of the Golden Fleece, 8, at left and S at right, within garter.

Date: 1800

Mint mark and Mint: 'O' over 'S'; Santiago, Chile. Assayers initials: AJ

Diameter: 37mm; Weight: 24.50g

5. Obverse inscription: CAROL.IIII.D.G.HISP.ET IND.R.1800.

Obverse description: Armored and draped bust right

Reverse inscription: IN.UTRO Q.FELIX.AUSPICE.DEO.

Reverse description: Crowned Arms in Collar of the Golden Fleece, 8, at left and S at right, within garter.

Date: 1800

Mint mark and Mint: 'O' over 'M', Mexico. Assayers initials: FM

Diameter: 36mm; Weight: 24.50g

6. Obverse inscription: CAROL.III.D.G.HISP.ET IND.R.1801.

Obverse description: Armored and draped bust right

Reverse inscription: IN.UTRO Q.FELIX.AUSPICE.DEO.

Reverse description: Crowned Arms in Collar of the Golden Fleece, 8, at left and S at right, within garter.

Date: 1801

Mint & mint mark: PTS (Monogram), Potosí, Bolivia. Assayers initials: P.P.

Diameter: 36mm; Weight: 24.45g

7. Obverse inscription: CAROL.IIII.D.G.HISP.ET.IND.R.1800

Obverse description: Armored and draped bust right.

Reverse inscription: IN.UTROQ.FELIX.AUSPICE.DEO.

Reverse description: Crowned arms in Collar of the Golden Fleece, 8, at left and S at right, within garter.

Date: 1800

Mint & mint mark: NR conjoined, Nuevo Reino (Bogota), Colombia. Assayers initials: J.J

Diameter: 35mm; Weight: 27.12g.

8. Obverse inscription: CAROL.IIII.D.G.HISP.ET.IND.R.1801

Obverse description: Armored and draped bust right.

Reverse inscription: IN.UTROQ.FELIX.AUSPICE.DEO.

Reverse description: Crowned arms in Collar of the Golden Fleece, 8, at left and S at right, within garter.

Date: 1801

Mint & mint mark: P, Popayan, Colombia. Assayers initials: JF

Diameter: 37mm; Weight: 26.93g.

* Portrait of Charles III. An Edict of 24^th December 1788 authorised the continuation in use of dies depicting the portrait of Charles III until new dies arrived in 1791. Santiago mint continued to use the portrait of Charles III on its 8-escudos throughout the reign of Charles IV.