Rob Rollo has given us what has already become the standard reference for Republic of Mexico 2 Escudos and it is likely to remain so as long as collectors pursue that elusive gold piece. For numismatists dedicated to the Republic of Mexico gold coinage in general and the dos escudos (2E) coinage in particular it is already an instant classic with a wealth of useful and valuable information packed into its 164 pages.
Rob is a quiet unassuming numismatist who you may or may not know, and even though he has never sought the limelight, his knowledge of Mexico and its coins – especially the Republic 2E – is extensive and those of us who are also dedicated the Mexican Numismatics are well aware of his expertise. We acknowledge and appreciate the amount of time and effort that went into the research and analysis, which is apparent throughout the work. The book was published in the spring of 2007. Designed for the serious student, it has a soft cover with a spiral binder, which makes it very simple to open it to a specific page and study a specific coin in detail.
In the Introduction Rob has a brief as well as enlightening explanation regarding the effects of the minting process on the condition and appearance of the 2E, which was struck at nine different mints between 1825 and 1870. He details the Obverse, Reverse and Edge Designs providing the reader with “Identification Features” that are clearly and logically written and illustrated as necessary. One welcome feature is the fact that nearly all photos are enlarged – usually to 2.5 times the actual size. This allows for much easier study of these small coins, which have a standard diameter of 23mm. He also points out that the 2E was usually struck without a collar and therefore the actual diameter varies – usually slightly larger – from the recognized standard. His attention to detail has given us some interesting observations. For example, most escudo collectors are aware that the standard edge design has angled or oblique reeding “sloping downward from upper left to lower right.” However, one suspects that not many have noticed that the standard reeding also has a top and bottom border. Moreover, how many are aware that the 2E produced at Culiacán, Guadalupe y Calvo and Hermosillo Mints are exceptions to that standard? He also explains his Die Variety Numbering System which he developed to help track them from issue to issue. He shows us that none of the nine Mints had a long production run of the 2E. In fact, the longest continuous run by any mint striking the 2E was five years and that was at Guadalupe y Calvo from 1844 through 1848, none of the other mints had more than a four year run and two mints – Estado de México and Hermosillo – produced them in only one year. This, along with the fact that not many 2E were struck in a single year helps explain why most of the mints utilized the same dies over an extended period of time and in some cases for several years. He also modified the Sheldon Rarity Scale to realistically estimate the number of individual 2E issues that are actually thought to exist.
The scale, as expected, ranges from Common (R-1, 1,250+ pieces available to collectors) to Unique/Nearly Unique (R-8, 1-3 pieces reported). That is not so unusual except that a very high percentage of the 2E falls into the R-8 category. Rob points out that there were 66 (aside from a couple of patterns and one Reported Not Confirmed [RNC] issue) Mint/Date/Assayer combinations of the 2E struck for circulation at nine different mints. Rob places exactly half – 33 – in the R-8 category! Moreover, no issues are in the Common to Scarce categories. One (as you might expect, the 2E MO 1825 JM) is considered Very Scarce (76-200 available), 4 are considered Rare (31-75 available), 16 Very Rare (13-30 available) and 12 Extremely Rare (4-12 available) with the remaining 33 Unique to Nearly Unique (1-3 available). Obviously, if one chooses to collect the 2E by Mint/Date/Assayer or just by Mint, the task will be daunting. However, in all likelihood that will not keep serious collectors from entering the fray, especially since they now have access to accurate up to date information about the 2E.
Another helpful feature is the Die Summary at the conclusion of a specific mint. The various issues along with Die Combinations and estimated Rarity of the more difficult pieces are summarized.
As has become the norm for serious works the coins are covered in detail by Mint, by Date, by Assayer as well as various Die Combinations. This allows the student to more easily absorb the basic information as well as anomalies.
Perhaps the most useful portion of the book is the individual analysis of specific issues in which Rob provides the reader – based on his experience over more than 40 years – of a specific issue. He also provides information regarding the number of reported public sales as well as some information about private treaties.
The work has extensive high quality photographs (photography is another field which Rob has become most proficient in) most of which were taken by him. As a result, the reader can easily compare the written descriptions of various details to an actual coin that exhibits them. It is worth repeating that enlarging the photographs makes the study of the coins much, much easier.
Last but not least is the price. Through an innovative approach, Rob was able to “work a deal” with a university printing office. As a result, the book has a purchase price of around $30 (it varies according to postage fees). This scholarly work is definitely a welcome addition to the library of anyone interested in Mexican Coins, and essential to the 2E Collector.
As an intriguing tidbit, we hear that Rob is considering writing another book, this time covering the Republic 1 Peso Gold Pieces. We look forward to that event.
Dave Busse, NumismatistPS We have just received another shipment of these books from Rob so if you want one contact us a www.mexcoinmagic@aol.com the price is $25 plus postage.
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