CHILE. 8 Escudos, 1832-So I. Santiago Mint. NGC MS-63+. KM-84; Onza-1625. Mintage: 11,000. A glorious example of this iconic type that depicts a radiant sun between two erupting volcanoes on one side and the crossed flagged of Chile behind a globe-capped pillar on the other. A truly laudable coin, the surfaces reflect ages of careful handling with no major marks that draw the eyes attention and fields that are entirely flashy to the point where they possess some shallow reflectivity. Most impressive about this pieces presentation however is its strike -- the design is evenly rendered and full on both sides. Even more unusual for this type, the surfaces are free from the die adjustment lines and laminations that so frequently plague the series. Considering these factors, one must absolutely classify this coin as one of the most desirable survivors of the entire series.While having seemingly avoided classification in past auction catalogs, a significant sub-variety exists that can be used to divide the early issues in this series from the later ones. For the early issues (1818-1823), the configuration of the mountains below the sunface is undulating and without sharp form. However, beginning in 1824 and running through the designs termination in 1834, not only do the mountains become more geometric in their depiction, but they also gain a granular texture. While the reason for this change is unknown, the difference in hand is actually rather significant, and gives the completionist another item for which to strive.</em> From the Oro del Nuevo Mundo Collection.
