Bust of Carlos IV. The exceptional rarity of this series, with only five or six specimens known to Restrepo. The Murias example, an attractive VF, brought $12,650 in 2012. This piece, while not quite as sharp, is very appealing and choice overall. The surfaces are mostly light silver gray, though some gold and navy blue toning hides among the peripheries. Only trivial hairlines are seen on the portrait, and no significant marks are seen but for some distant abrasions on the rim at the base of the reverse. The obverse is fairly well centered, with denticles below the date a bit longer than elsewhere, while the denticles atop the assayer on the reverse were never struck up due to a somewhat out-of-round planchet. The overdate characteristic, seen on all genuine examples of this date, is easily seen under low magnification. The chance to acquire a specimen of this issue comes along irregularly, and sometimes many years pass between offerings. From the Eldorado Collection of Colombian and Ecuadorian Coins.
