Description
Kingdom of Spain, Philip II of the House of Habsburg, King of the Spanish Empire 1556-1598 AD, Gold ‘Cob’ Four Escudos (13.51g, 28mm), 1590 S, Seville mint. Obverse: Royal Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Spain under Philip II (pre-unification with Portugal type 1558–1580 AD), date downward to inner right field, mintmark “S” above mark of value “o IIII” and assayer’s mark Gothic “[D]” to inner left field, inner beaded border and legend surrounds, “PHIL[IPPVS II DEI GRATIA]”. Reverse: Cross of Jerusalem with fleur-de-lis in each angle, surrounded by double lined quatrefoil, “O” in each spandrel, inner beaded border and legend surrounds, “[HISPANIARVM REX]”. French-158; Cayon-4153. Certified and graded by NGC as Mint State 62. A noteworthy cob piece struck during the golden age of the Spanish Empire, exceptional detail through the central devices with clear date, mintmark and name, very desirable as such.
The obverse Latin legend reads “Philippus secundus, Deī Grātiā”, with an English translation of “Philip the Second, by the Grace of God”. The reverse Latin legend continues from the obverse and reads “Hispāniarum Rēx”, with an English translation of “King of the Spanish People”.
The son of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and Isabella of Portugal, Philip II of the House of Habsburg was the King of Spain from 1556 until his death in 1598, as well as the King of Portugal (from 1580), King of Naples and Sicily, Duke of Milan, Lord of the seventeen provinces of the Netherlands, and briefly the titular King of England and Ireland through his marriage to Queen Mary I of the House of Tudor. Under Philip II, the Spanish Empire experienced what is now known as the Spanish Golden Age, reaching the zenith of its influence and power. The empire’s colonial territories extended to every continent then known to Europeans – of note, during Philip’s reign the Conquest of the Inca Empire was completed, and concurrently to the conquests of the Americas, expeditions to the East Indies saw the conquest and colonization of the Philippines.
