8 Escudos Fernando VI 1748 Gold Coin: Value & Real Prices

If you inherited or found a 1748 8 Escudos with Fernando VI on it, here is the short answer: this is a genuine gold coin from colonial Mexico, and even the most worn examples carry real bullion value. Better-preserved, certified pieces sell for thousands of dollars. This is one of the Mexican coins that is actually worth money, for reasons we explain below.

What you actually have

The 8 Escudos was the largest gold denomination struck under Spanish colonial rule in Mexico. Yours dates to 1748, minted at the Casa de Moneda in Mexico City during the reign of Fernando VI of the Bourbon dynasty. The assayer's mark is MF.

Key specs, keep these exact, they are how you confirm authenticity:

• Metal: gold, 0.875 fineness (21 karat)
• Weight: 26.95 grams
• Diameter: 36 mm
• Edge: reeded (milled)
• Mint: Mexico City, assayer MF
• Year: 1748

At 26.95 grams of 0.875 gold, this coin contains roughly 23.6 grams (about 0.76 troy ounces) of pure gold. That is your floor. No matter the condition, the coin is worth at least its melt value at the current gold spot price, and at today's levels that alone runs well over 1,500 USD in raw metal. A colonial 8 Escudos is never "just a few dollars."

What drives the value above melt

Three things push a 1748 8 Escudos past its bullion floor:

Condition (grade). A heavily worn, damaged coin sells close to melt. A sharp, original example with clear detail on Fernando VI's portrait and the shield reverse can bring a large premium over gold value. Certified high grades multiply the price.

Certification. A coin graded by NGC or PCGS (the two US grading services collectors trust) sells for far more than one with only a seller's own estimate. Certification also settles the authenticity question, which matters a lot for a coin this valuable.

Historical demand. Colonial Mexican gold has a steady collector base in both the US and Europe. Portrait 8 Escudos of the Bourbon kings are a recognized series, so there is always a buyer.

Real price ranges

Official mintage figures for this specific 1748 issue are not documented, which is common for colonial gold and part of why these pieces carry a scarcity premium. Rather than invent a number, here is the honest range by condition.

Ranges move with the gold price and with the strength of the colonial gold market in any given year. Exceptional 18th-century Mexican 8 Escudos have crossed well into five figures at Heritage and Stack's Bowers auctions, so if yours looks sharp, get it evaluated before selling.

The myth to ignore

Because colonial coins are old, people assume any 1748 piece is automatically worth a fortune. Age alone does not do that. Value here comes from the gold content plus condition and certification, not from the date. A worn example is worth its metal, not a rare-coin jackpot. Be equally skeptical of anyone claiming a wildly high figure without a grade to back it up.

How to tell if yours is genuine

Counterfeits of gold coins, often struck in lower-fineness alloys and frequently sourced from overseas, almost always fail on the numbers:

1. Weigh it. A real coin is 26.95 grams. A fake in a cheaper alloy will miss this, usually coming in light or with the wrong density for its size.
2. Measure it. 36 mm diameter, reeded edge. Check the edge is properly milled, not smooth or crudely cut.
3. Check the details. Look for the MF assayer mark and correct legends. Fakes often show soft or wrong lettering.
4. Get it certified. For a coin worth thousands, NGC or PCGS certification is the only definitive proof. It pays for itself by unlocking the higher price tier.

Minor die varieties exist (letter positions, small striking differences) that only expert graders distinguish. For most owners, the coin is the coin; certification handles the rest.

Where to sell it

This is a high-value gold coin, so sell where authenticity and price are protected:

• A verified numismatic dealer from the Pesoteca directory can appraise and buy it on the spot.
• The Pesoteca buy/sell forum connects you directly with collectors of colonial gold.
• For top examples, US auction houses (Heritage, Stack's Bowers) reach the widest buyer pool for certified colonial pieces.

Before you sell, photograph the obverse, reverse, and edge, and confirm the weight. Do not dump a gold coin on the first casual offer, and be cautious on open marketplaces where counterfeits circulate.

Want to know if yours sits near melt or in the certified premium tier? Post clear photos and the weight on the Pesoteca forum and let collectors who handle colonial gold weigh in.

Related: Escudos Coloniales (gold) series, the Colonial / Viceroyalty era, other Mexican 8 Escudos, and more 1748 coins.

Eight escudos, Fernando VI, 1748, Mexico mint, assayer MF, Krause KM#150. The year 1748 is historically key: the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle was signed in October, closing the War of the Austrian Succession and returning peace to Europe after eight years of conflict. Fernando VI maintained the policy of Spanish neutrality as the hallmark of his reign. In New Spain, Francisco de Guemes y Horcasitas, Count of Revillagigedo, continued as viceroy. Krause distinguishes KM#150 from KM#149 (1747) by a type variation within the same reign, a sign of die or iconography adjustment on the reverse. The ounce weighs a theoretical 27.06 grams with 0.916 fineness. Milled with a standardized round planchet. The pillar reverse was retained with the crowned Pillars of Hercules and the PLVS VLTRA bands. The MF signature remains the mark of the assayers of the capital workshop.