This 1856 Madrid 20 Reale comes with a Grundy Collection pedigree, a provenance that follows the coin on its NGC label. Isabel II's 20 Reales was Spain's large silver crown of the 1850s, struck in Madrid and spent hard across the kingdom. Heavy silver like this was melted or worn smooth over the following decades, so pedigreed survivors with sharp detail are not easy to locate today.

The obverse carries a youthful bust of Isabel II facing right, her hair braided and tied with a ribbon, with the engraver's initials tucked below the truncation. ISABEL 2ª POR LA G. DE DIOS Y LA CONST. runs around the border, while the date sits below the portrait between dots. On the reverse, the crowned arms of Spain display the castles of Castile, the lions of Leon and the fleurs-de-lis of the Bourbons, flanked by the Pillars of Hercules with their PLUS ULTRA banners. REINA DE LAS ESPAÑAS arcs above and 20 REALES appears below between stars, all struck with strong relief.

NGC graded this piece AU-55, with only light rubbing on the cheek, the hair above the ear and the high points of the crown. The surfaces keep an even gray-brown patina with traces of original luster in the protected areas, and both legends read boldly from rim to rim. At this grade the design remains nearly complete, which is where the type shows its best eye appeal without the price of full Mint State. A welcome addition to any collection of Spanish crown silver or Isabel II coinage.

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