Chile 1860-So 50 centavos
This specimen was lot 34064 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Chicago, August 2022), where it sold for $5,040. The catalog description[1] noted,
"CHILE. 50 Centavos, 1860/59-So. Santiago Mint. PCGS AU-53. The only certified example on the PCGS population report, only one finer (NGC MS-61). This date seldom appearing on the market is missing from nearly all major collections of Chilean coins, as such it should be considered EXTREMELY RARE and highly desirable. The strike is bold with a clear overdate and well-formed intricate design features. The smooth surfaces display a lovely gray patina with plenty of remaining luster in the protected areas and a slight iridescent sheen that pops out when rotated in the light. A real treat for the specialist of the series seeking difficult to locate issues in high states of preservation. From the Pat Johnson Collection. Ex: The Santiago Collection (Christensen - 6/1986) Lot # 389."
This fifty centavo piece was minted in Santiago in 1853-62. An upright condor was adopted for 1862-67 (KM 134) with a lower relief used for 1867-72 (KM 139). This condor with outspread wings also appeared on half decimos and decimos and twenty centavos coins of the 1850's. The low relief contributed to a rather drab design which wore down rapidly in circulation. Many varieties exist.
Recorded mintage: 20,000, the key date.
Specification: 12.5 g, 900 fine silver.
Catalog reference: KM-128.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The 2022 ANA Auction - Ancients & World Coins - Featuring The Salton Collection Part III, the Augustana Collection and the Robert C. Knepper Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2022.
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