Fleet-era Limas (1696-1715)

Lima escudos struck 1696-1715 are styled “(1715)Fleet-era Limas” in current numismatic parlance. All of those dates except 1706 (no gold struck) and 1715 are found on 1715 Fleet wrecks. 1715 Lima escudos, first struck in February 1715, could not have reached Echevers’ Fleet, which was already in Havana by late 1714. No gold from El Peru is known from the Fleet, but it is just possible, though very unlikely, that a traveler from Lima could have left Lima with February Lima gold and caught the combined fleets in Havana by late July 1715.

A date-by-date discussion of the 1696-1715 Lima gold coinage, including original mintages and survival rates, is available in my The Gold Cobs of El Peru (1696-1750). See some sample chapters posted in the Articles section of the site.

From the 1715 Plate Fleet – 1714 Lima Onza

LIMA 1714/3 M eight escudos, very rare date, bold overdate, without doubt the finest 1714/3 Lima onza from the Fleet, NGC MS 62 Fleet (no other mint state 1714's at either service). Before July 1988 the 1714 Lima onza was a virtually uncollectible date, represented by a single XF specimen. That July Moe Molinar and HRD [...]

From the 1715 Plate Fleet – 1714 Lima Onza2019-12-09T12:58:05-07:00

From the 1715 Plate Fleet

L 99. Lima 1704 H eight escudos. A lustrous, choice near mint state example of one of the rarest Fleet dates. Very round planchet with boldly struck cross, "whigged" lions, and castles. Bourbon crown. PCGS AU 58 1715 Plate Fleet. The second highest 1704 graded at NGC and PCGS and by far the best centered. [...]

From the 1715 Plate Fleet2019-11-08T09:04:34-07:00

Lima 1703 H two escudos – NGC MS 64 1715 Fleet

Lustrous, well struck, and very choice mint state. Arguably, the finest known among a half dozen collectible survivors. Two sets of dies struck the 12,289 two escudos coined in 1703, all in the second half of the year. 12,289 is more than twice any previous annual mintage and indicates an increased role in commerce for [...]

Lima 1703 H two escudos – NGC MS 64 1715 Fleet2019-10-21T14:58:35-07:00