Until the very recent discovery of the 1755-S 8 Escudos, this issue was thought to be the first milled 8 Escudos of Colombia. It has long been accorded the status of a classic rarity, rated as "pocos ejemplares conocidos" (only a few specimens known) in the Calicó Onza book and "very rare" by Restrepo. The few known survivors seem to be in similar condition: the Clapp-Eliasberg coin was graded AU-50 (NGC), the Calicó Plate coin from Norweb was similar, and this piece is in the same neighborhood. A good deal of luster persists, especially at the peripheries. The obverse is ideally centered, the reverse shows long denticles at the top and none at the bottom. The central obverse shows some natural low spots or granularity. Both sides show their share of hairlines and light marks, but no serious flaws are noted. Flashier than the Eliasberg coin and a very desirable example of a famous rarity. From the Eldorado Collection of Colombian and Ecuadorian Coins.<p>From Don Canaparo, December 1981.<br />
