Colombia 1885-M 5 pesos
This type was struck at Medellin this year only. It was the last attempt to strike this denomination until the "minero" type of 1913, which was issued on a different weight standard. This type was accompanied by a gold two pesos and ten pesos, both rare. This specimen was lot 350 in Sedwick sale 9 (Fort Lauderdale, FL, April 2011), where it did not sell. The catalog description[1] noted,
"Medellin, Colombia, 5 pesos, 1885/74, encapsulated NGC XF details, reverse spot removed, very rare. A rather nicely detailed XF with a deliberate scrape to the right of PESOS (which NGC somewhat harshly referred to as "spot removed"), this is effectively the easiest denomination (RRR in Sedwick) of the extremely rare three-coin set of 1885-6 (the others being the 1885/74 2 pesos [lot 347] and 1886/74 10 pesos [lot 367]), struck in 0.666-fine gold (the stated fineness on the coin punched over .900). Surely the patient and advanced collector can locate another specimen; the challenge here is in keeping Frank's three-coin set intact! Bowers & Ruddy 2/77 via Lou Collins 5/77. Dr. Frank Sedwick collection of Colombian Republic gold coins."
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 8.06 g, 0.666 fine gold, .172 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: Sedwick-38, Restrepo-330, KM-163.
- Almanzar, Alcedo, and Dale Seppa, Coins of Colombia, San Antonio, TX: 1973.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- 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]Sedwick, Daniel F., Augi Garcia and Cori Sedwick Downing, Treasure Auction #9, Winter Park, FL: Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC, 2011.
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