Chile 1831-So I peso
This specimen was lot 32061 in Heritage sale 3135 (Pittsburgh, September 2026), where it sold for $9,760. The catalog description[1] noted, "Chile: Scarce Date Volcano Peso. Republic "Volcano" Peso 1831 SANTIAGO-I AU55 NGC, Santiago mint. Another special offering in this staggering run of Volcano Pesos, with this example offering metallic-silver core areas that turn to charcoal, violet, and cobalt towards the rims. Like the rest of the series, this is a scarce date, with a mere four pieces registered at NGC and those small handful seen at market in recent decades generating surprising sums, regardless of preservation. Ex. McCormick Collection; Superior Galleries (December 1990, Lot 584). From the Grundy Collection of Latin American and Spanish Coins." This issue, the "volcano peso," is one of the most popular South American crowns. It was struck regularly between 1817 and 1834 in some numbers but is hotly pursued in auctions. It is the first coin to bear the word "peso." Colonial eight reales were commonly called pesos in everyday usage but are marked "8 R." The 1817-FJ is the most frequently encountered of the series. The volcano design also appears on silver half, one and two reales of 1833-34.
Recorded mintage: 51,000.
Specification: 27 g, 0.902 fine silver, 39-40 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM 82.2, Elizondo-93.
- Elizondo, Carlos A., Eight Reales and Pesos of the New World, San Antonio, TX: 1968.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Cristiano Bierrenbach, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, 2026 September 1 - 5 ANA World & Ancient Coins Platinum Session and Signature® Auction #3135, featuring The Vila Rica Collection of Brazilian Gold Coins, Part II, and The Grundy Collection of Latin American and Spanish Coins, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2026.
- Raymond, Wayte, The Silver Dollars of North and South America, 2nd Ed., Racine, WI: Whitman Publishing, 1964.
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