1751SO J CHILE 8E LA LUZ WRECK NGC MS62. 1751 So J, Chile, 8 Escudos, Nuestra Senora de la Luz, (KM # 3). Mint luster shimmers on this lovely shipwrecked gold coin. Some light wispy marks are seen on both sides, in keeping with the grade. The coin shows some central weakness on the obverse and even more on the reverse on the shield and crown above. When the ship Nuestra Senora de la Luz sank in Montevideo harbor in July 1752, all on board were killed. Treasure was found by Rubn Collado on a wrecksite in the Ro de la Plata. Since none of the coins he found was dated later than 1751, he realized that the wreck was from 1751 or 1752. The gold coins, which were split with the Uruguayan government and then sold at auction in New York and Montevideo, consisted of mostly milled (bust-type) 8 escudos from the new mint at Santiago, Chile.

Almost all of the gold coins from the Nuestra Senora de la Luz are in the AU55 to MS61 grade range. They generally have poor strikes, especially on the bust of Ferdinand, and show sea corrosion. The new mint at Santiago had decided to strike gold coins in high relief on polished planchets. However, most of the coins were poorly struck on one or both sides. When government officials complained about the flattened bust of Ferdinand, the mint went back to striking coins with normal relief. Sea corrosion also hurts many of the Santiago gold pieces by darkening their fields.

All of the gold coins salvaged from the ship are rare in all conditions.

Specifications: 27.07 g, .917 fine gold, .798 troy oz AGW.