$6,800
Denomination: 4 Escudos
Dated: 1820
Mint: Madrid
Assayer: CJ
Weight: 13.54 g
Grade: PCGS – AU55 - #45982422.
Mount: 18K gold (1.3 grams) Sapphire on all prongs and bale.
Description: VII gold 4 Escudo. Semi-proof like surfaces peering from beneath lightly circulated and toned fields.
Obverse: Laureate head right. Script: Latin Lettering: (FERDIN•VII•D•G• HISP•ET IND•R) •1820• Translation: “Fernando 7th King of Spain and the Indies by the grace of God”.
Reverse: Crowned shield divides designed wreath; initials and mint mark upright. Script: Latin Lettering: (IN•UTROQ•FELIX• •AUSPICE•DEO 4 S •Mo• •HJ•). Translation:
“With happiness in both under the look of God”.
History: Ferdinand VII, byname Ferdinand the Desired, Spanish Fernando El Deseado, (born October 14, 1784, El Escorial, Spain—died September 29, 1833, Madrid), king of Spain in 1808 and from 1814 to 1833. Between 1808 and 1813, during the Napoleonic Wars, Ferdinand was imprisoned in France by Napoleon.
Ferdinand was the son of Charles IV and Maria Luisa of Parma, who placed their whole confidence in Manuel de Godoy. From 1795 Godoy had flaunted the title of prince of the Peace for his capitulation to France in the Peace of Basel. Ferdinand’s tutor stirred up his jealousy and encouraged him to seek the protection of Napoleon. Charles IV was sufficiently alarmed to arrest Ferdinand but forgave him. When Godoy allowed French troops to enter Spain, Charles was overthrown by the Revolt of Aranjuez (March 17, 1808), and he abdicated in favor of Ferdinand. However, French troops occupied Madrid, and Napoleon summoned Ferdinand to the frontier and obliged him to return the crown to his father, who granted it to Napoleon. Napoleon made his brother Joseph Bonaparte king of Spain and held Ferdinand in France for the duration of the war.
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