1 Gold Escudo — 1811
Bust of Charles IV · Mint of Santa Fe de Bogotá (NR)
A piece of great historical value: 1811 marks the beginning of Colombia's war of independence, the period known as the “Patria Boba”. After the declaration of the Supreme Junta of Santa Fe in July 1810, the Bogotá mint continued striking gold coins with royal dies, though under increasingly turbulent local political control. Like the collection's 1820 piece, this is an “imaginary bust” issue: it bears the name ofFernando VII, but he keeps his father's portrait,Carlos IV.
Obverse and Reverse
- Obverse — The Bust:bust of Charles IV, dressed and armored, with hair tied up in a ribbon, looking to the right (serving as a portrait of Ferdinand VII). Legend:FERDND. VII. D. G. HISP. ET IND. R.(“Fernando VII, by the Grace of God, King of Spain and the Indies”). The date “1811” is centred under the bust.
- Reverse — The Crowned Shield:crowned royal coat of arms of Spain, surrounded by the collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece. Legend:IN. UTROQ. FELIX. A. D.(“In both worlds, happy under the guidance of God”). Flanked by the split designation “1” (left) and “S” (right); in the lower register, the mint mark “NR” (Nuevo Reino, Bogotá) followed by the assayer's initials “JF”.
Minted in 1811, this piece documents the continuity of the Santa Fe Mint at the beginning of independence. Although the Supreme Junta had been established in July 1810, the mint continued producing gold coins with royal types amid shifting political control. Production continued through the end of the colonial era, before the new republic’s types began to be struck in 1820.
— Historical Context Note
Sources
- Restrepo Restrepo, José Ignacio.Two Hundred Years of Republican Currency in Colombia (1810–2010)— base reference for the Restrepo number.
- Krause, Chester L. y Clifford Mishler.Standard Catalog of World Coins.
- Numista —numista.com(opens in a new tab)
- Rodríguez Soage, José David.«The Santa Fe Mint»(opens in a new tab), eNumismatic, 2021.