Argentina 1878 centavo KM-E1
The exact history of this copper essai is unknown, though many clues remain to put together a good part of the puzzle. It is dated 1878, and makes reference to the Law of 25 September of 1878, which places it during the period prior to the official opening of Argentina's Casa de Moneda. This fact suggests that it was a trial struck as a precursor to KM7, first struck in bronze in 1882. Other pattern essai pieces from the period are known, and some appear to have been produced in Brussels by a Mr. Carlos Würden for presentation to and consideration by the nascent government of the new republic. Mr. Würden was also responsible for the design of the KM Pn12, a "patacón" pattern essai piece, very similar to the specimen presented here.
In reality, the law that authorized the creation and construction of the Casa de Moneda in Buenos Aires also authorized the dispatching of a state engineer, Mr. Eduardo Castilla, to visit mints in Belgium, France and Great Britain and obtain the necessary tooling and equipment to produce the nation's newly authorized coins. He signed a contract in Paris with famous designer A. Barré for the work on the new Argentinian coins, but Barré died shortly thereafter, necessitating a new search. The first specimen was lot 71328 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, February 2023), where it sold for $216. The catalog description[1] noted, "ARGENTINA. Copper Centavo Essai (Pattern), 1878. PCGS SPECIMEN-64 Red Brown. Attractively toned example with a good amount of original mint bloom present. From the David Sterling Collection."
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: copper.
Catalog reference: KM E1.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Janson, Hector Carlos, La Moneda Circulante En El Territorio Argentino, 1574-2015, Buenos Aires, 2015.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, February 2023 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, featuring the David Sterling Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2023.
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