CHARLES IV

The oldest recorded reference to medals made in Buenos Aires under the name of Carlos IV is found in Pedro Alonso O'Crouley's Diálogos sobre la utilidad de las medallas antiguas (1795), where he briefly describes this type. Subsequent works only mention pieces in silver, although A. Rosa catalogues and describes a specimen in low-grade gold, No. 4 in Aclamaciones de los monarcas católicos en el Nuevo Mundo (1895), weighing 23.2 grams and with a diameter of 36 millimeters. More recently, Marcos Silvera Antúnez provides a very concise description of this medal and reports three known items in gold, one of which is located in the Mitre Museum in Buenos Aires. According to Rosa's information, these medals, despite bearing the date 1789, were not made until 1790, a claim that José Toribio Medina later proved erroneous thanks to the documentation he found regarding the swearing-in ceremony, which took place on August 8, 1789. Additionally, there is a document cited in the Catalog of the Mata Linares Collection (vol. IV, No. 8677, p. 213) regarding the ceremonial acts of the celebration through an edict issued to the Viceroy of Buenos Aires, Don Nicolás de Arredondo, dated July 31 of the same year. Medina, on his part, transcribes the chapter act of September 28, 1789, in which Agustín Casimiro Aguirre, royal ensign, requested the Cabildo ‘city council’ to certify his performance during the festivities held in the capital. He specified that he had the honour of raising the royal banner during the proclamation and throwing silver coins to the public in the atria of convents and churches, as well as "distributing gold and silver medals with the royal bust of His Majesty to the chiefs, magistrates, cabildos, and leading figures of the city”, From our point of view, two festivities took place: the first on August 8, 1789, and a second, a much more modest one, from November 12 to 20, 1790, as mentioned by Rosa. During the latter, by agreement of the City Council, the funds raised were allocated to paving the streets. This medal boasts an impressive and nearly pristine state of conservation. While the reverse may exhibit slight blurring, the obverse showcases remarkable quality and casting. Measuring 35.8 millimeters in diameter and weighing 23.37 grams, as indicated in the sale by Superior Galleries and confirmed on the slab label, the field surrounding the bust features a distinct finish, with a polished or debased effect, typical of gold medals from that era in the region. Additionally, engraving of details with a burin was the final step in its manufacture. Exceptionally rare, it presents a unique opportunity for advanced collectors of Latin American medals.