Philip II gold Cob 2 Escudos 1588/II S-D MS63 NGC, Seville mint, Cal-830 var. ("overdate" unlisted), Cay-4111 (same), Oro Macuquino-35. 6.73gm. An intriguing specimen clearly produced from a reworked earlier undated die, such that the Roman numeral II of the denomination is visible beneath the year. To the best of our knowledge, we are aware of only one other such piece having come to auction in recent decades--Áureo & Calicó Auction 218 (April 2009, Lot 1823) [also the plate coin in Oro Macuquino]--which was clearly produced from a different obverse die. Such likely suggests that the program of introducing the newly dated coinage at the Seville mint in 1588 required a wider recycling of old dies. Certainly a piece deserving of further research, and of exquisite quality to wit.

HID09801242017

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