Colombia 1853-B 1/2 real

from the Stack's Bowers 2018 ANA sale, lot 44198

This specimen was lot 44198 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Philadelphia, August 2018), where it sold for $204. The catalog description^[1] noted, "COLOMBIA. 1/2 Real, 1853. Bogota Mint. Unc Detail--Cleaned (PCGS). Bold strike with mark free fields. Lightly retoned. From the Eldorado Collection of Colombian Coins." This type is recorded for 1850-53 from Bogotá only and is supposedly common. It represents the first attempt at decimalization, wherein ten reales = one peso instead of the former eight. In 1853, the coin was renamed the medio décimo and reduced in weight to 1.25 g.

Recorded mintage: unknown but the most available date.

Specification: 1.4 g, 0.900 fine silver, plain edge.

Catalog reference: KM-110; Restrepo-179.5.

Source:

• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
• Restrepo, Jorge Emilio, Monedas de Colombia, 1619-2006, Medellin, Colombia: Impresiones Rojo, 2006.
• ^[1]Ponterio, Richard, Kyle Ponterio and Chris Chatigny, The August 2018 Philadelphia ANA Auction: World Coins and Selections from the El Dorado Collection of Colombian Coins, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2018.

Links to:

• 1852-B ½ real
• 1853-P ¼ real
• 1853-B ½ décimo
• 1853-B décimo
• 1853-B real
• 1853-B 2 reales
• 1853-P 10 pesos
• 1853 16 pesos
• 1854-B ½ décimo
• 1862-P ½ real
• Coins and currency dated 1853
• return to coins of Colombia