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L46. Lima 1746 V "Starless" eight escudos. Lustrous near mint state, well struck and quite rare. The finest "Starless" 1746 known. NGC AU 55.
Assayer Vargas is (justly) notorious for the terrible quality of the onzas struck in his Lima tenure. His escudos are often heavily doubled and virtually illegible. Clearly quality control at the Lima mint had been abandoned! This 1746, though hardly choice by Fleet-era standards, is one of the finest surviving Vargas eight escudos. The death of the long-reigning Philip V in 1746 and a great earthquake that same year in Lima called forth a memorial issue of escudos adorned stars ("con estrellas"). Before these tragedies overtook Lima, early in 1746, the mint issued a small quantity of normal ("sin estrellas") onzas. Only a handful of these early starless onzas survive, and this is a new variety, similar to Calico 346-347, but different in both dies. This is the highest graded and finest of the starless 1746 Lima onzas.
Available. Price on request.
terravitan@aol.com or 480-595-1293
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