1343

CUBA (under Spain), cast silver proclamation medal, Ferdinand VI, 1747, Guanabacoa, unique GVNA vari

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / Exonumia - Medals Start Price:2,500.00 USD Estimated At:5,000.00 - 10,000.00 USD
CUBA (under Spain), cast silver proclamation medal, Ferdinand VI, 1747, Guanabacoa, unique GVNA vari
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CUBA (under Spain), cast silver proclamation medal, Ferdinand VI, 1747, Guanabacoa, unique GVNA variety. Rosa-221; Herrera-41 var; Betts-344 var; Ulex-2459 var; Medina-23 var. 10.80 grams. 28 mm. A crudely cast, half dollar-sized silver medal featuring a fantasy portrait of the new king within legend FERNANDO.VI.D.G.HISPAN.REX on obverse and arms of Guanabacoa inside legend SANTIAGO DE TORES.GVNA with date •1747• at bottom on reverse, a bit worn and oxidized (Fine overall), with patches of copper and light olive toning, applied reeding on edge, one of two versions known, this one believed to be unique.

This piece is identical to the hand-drawn illustration for number 221 in Alejandro Rosa’s 1895 work, Aclamaciones de Monarcas Católicos en el Nuevo Mundo, which is different from the other version of this medal listed as number 41 in Adolfo Herrera’s 1882 publication, Medallas de Proclamaciones y Juras de los Reyes de España (described in Betts, and illustrated in Medina and in the 1908 Hess catalog of the Ulex Collection). There are slight differences in the relief and execution of the arms, but the most recognizable aspect is the misspelling GVNA in place of GVANA with ligate AN in the legend. Both versions appear to be the same diameter, but Medina quotes a weight of 15 grams while Ulex states 5.5 grams (which seems erroneous). The present lot is 11 grams—same as the weight given in Rosa (and same diameter).

Although little known today, the cabinet of proclamation medals formed by Alejandro Rosa in the late 1800s was among the greatest ever assembled, containing such landmarks as the unique gold proclamation of Ferdinand VI of Mexico (1747) and one of the few known Florida medals of Charles IV (1789). It is intriguing to think this lot could very well be the piece from Rosa’s collection (impossible to confirm from a drawing).

This medal’s surfaces show expected old casting traits, and XRF analysis confirms a proper mid-18th-century alloy of approximately 85% silver and 14% copper with traces of gold, lead, and zinc. Nevertheless, due to its cast manufacture and unique design not represented in standard references, this medal is beyond the limitations of certification companies like NGC and PCGS and cannot be put into a certified holder until it is better understood.

Now offered at auction for the first time, this medal’s uniqueness and historical significance make it a true numismatic treasure for connoisseurs who appreciate that pieces of this caliber represent important opportunities, even when not fully documented or certified.