THE HiISTORY OF SPANISH COLONIAL COINS IN THE NEW WORLD
FERDIN VII PICTURE LATE TO CHILE

Owner Comments:

THIS COIN'S PLACE IN HISTORY
A transitional period in Chile from 1808 until 1811. King Charles IIII died in 1808 and Santiago, rather than continue to use his portrait until a portrait of the new king Ferdinand VII arrived, used an imaginary military bust of a Inca soldier during the years 1808 and 1809. Peru and Mexico received portraits of the new king in 1809 but Chile didn't receive their portraits until 1812. They revised the imaginary Inca design of 1808 and 1809 slightly and used it for coins dated 1810 and 1811.

DESCRIPTION:
OBVERSE: The obverse design has an imaginary bust of an Inca soldier and the legend giving the king's name and title as, FERDND VII DEI GRATIA (Ferdinand VII by the Grace of God) with the date.

REVERSE: The reverse has the two Pillars of Hercules with the motto PLUS VLTRA (More Beyond) on banners flanking the crowned shield of Leon and Castile. The legend reads, HISPAN. ET IND. REX (King of Spain and the Indies) followed by the mintmark (SO), the denomination (8) and the assayer's initials (FJ-Francisco Rodriguez Brochero and Jose Maria de Bobadilla). The edge design is comprised of alternating circles and rectangles.