Colima 1833 1/4 real

from the Stack's Bowers 2024 ANA sale, lot 41211

This specimen was lot 41211 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Chicago, August 2024), where it sold for $900. The catalog description^[1] noted, "MEXICO. Colima. Copper 1/4 Real Token, 1833. NGC EF Details--Environmental Damage. An interesting and VERY RARE token issue for local use in the small state of Colima. While crudely made and somewhat rough, the piece offers great detail and charm. This eye-catching copper is sure to spark interest among collectors. From the EMO Collection." This is an example of a copper quarter real from the state and city of Colima. We don't kknow if this is an offical state issue or merely a municipal token. Local users may not have cared. While the central government of Mexico reserved for itself the right to strike gold and silver, the states were permitted to strike the base metal coinage, a right which they exploited to the utmost. These coins could be minted and issued at a profit, a fact not lost on cash-strapped state governments. As these were to be quickly and cheaply made and forced upon a long-suffering populace, little effort was expended to make them nice; most survivors are poorly struck on badly prepared planchets and heavily worn. Counterfeits abounded and contributed to the abuse.

Today, state coppers are avidly collected. They are very challenging to find in nice condition and high grade examples are beginning to realize prices proportionate to their rarity. This type is crude, even by the standards of state coppers, and nice examples are scarce.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: copper.

Catalog reference: EMO-3021 (Plate coin); Grove-257.

Source:

• Bailey, Don, State & Federal Copper and Brass Coinage of Mexico, 1824-1872, Hemet, CA, 2008.
• ^[1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, August 2024 Global Showcase Auction, World & Ancient Coins, featuring The Emilio M. Ortiz Collection, The Richard Margolis Collection and The Rutherford Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2024.

Link to:

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• 1833-M^O copper ¼ real
• 1833-D^O ½ real
• 1833-G^O ½ real
• 1833-M^O ½ real
• 1833-G^O real
• 1833/2-M^O real
• 1833-Z^S real
• 1833-C^A 2 reales
• 1833-Z^S 2 reales
• 1833-Z^S 4 reales
• 1833-C^A 8 reales
• 1833-D^O 8 reales
• 1833-G^A 8 reales
• 1833-G^O JM 8 reales
• 1833-G^O MJ 8 reales
• 1833-M^O MJ 8 reales
• 1833-M^O ML 8 reales
• 1833-P^I 8 reales
• 1833-Z^S 8 reales
• 1833-D^O ½ escudo
• 1833-M^O ½ escudo
• 1833-D^O escudo
• 1833-M^O escudo
• 1833-D^O RM 4 escudos
• 1833-G^O 4 escudos
• 1833-D^O 8 escudos
• 1833-G^O 8 escudos
• 1834 ¼ real
• Coins and currency dated 1833
• return to Mexican imperial and republican coinage, 1822-1905