Costa Rica (1845) c/s 2 reales KM-35
The first specimen was lot 1669 in Jean Elsen sale 164 (Brussels, March 2026), where it sold for €1,600 (about US$2,228 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"COSTA RICA, AR 2 reales, s.d. (1845). Contremarque de type III, sur 2 reales de Philippe V, date illisible, Ségovie. Contremarque très rare sur 2 reales de Ségovie (habituellement de Séville). Beau. (Costa Rica, undated type III counterstamp, circa 1845, on a Spanish silver two reales of Philip V, illegible date, Segovia mint. This countermark is very rare on a Segovia host; it is normally seen on Seville two reales. Fine.)"
The second specimen was lot 75267 in Stack's Bowers June 2026 World Premier Collectors Choice Auction (Costa Mesa, CA, June 2026), where it sold for $2,684. The catalog description[2] noted, "COSTA RICA. 2 Reales, ND (1845). GOOD Details--Damage. cf. KM-35 (type). Type III counterstamp applied to a Spanish 1721-M 2 Reales (KM-296)." The SCWC lists a variety of coins counterstamped by Costa Rica in the early 1840's, from half reales to eight reales, all now very rare. Doubtless they were withdrawn and melted as soon as possible.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: host coin 6.77 g, 0.833 fine silver, 27 mm diameter; the first specimen 4,23 g.
Catalog reference: KM 35 var. (Séville).
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Gurdian, Raul, Contribucion al Estudio de las Monedas de Costa Rica: 100 Años de Colon, 2a Ed., San José, Costa Rica, 1997.
- Stickney, Brian, A Monetary History of Central America, New York: American Numismatic Society, 2017.
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 164: Monnaies du duché de Brabant et du royaume de Belgique, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2026.
- [2]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, June 2026 World Premier Collectors Choice Auction - Selections from the L.E. Bruun Collection, the Richard Margolis Collection and the Kirk Menczer Collection of Republican Reales Minors, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2026.
Link to:
- 1845 ¼ real
- Costa Rica (1845) c/s 2 reales KM-36 on a Spain 1777 2 reales
- Costa Rica (1845) c/s 2 reales KM-37 on a Spanish 2 reales of Charles IV
- Costa Rica (1845) c/s 2 reales KM-40 on a Spain 1811 4 reales de vellon
- Costa Rica (1845) c/s 2 reales KM-41 on a Madrid, Spain, bust 2 reales of Ferdinand VII
- Costa Rica (1845) c/s 2 reales KM-44 on a Cuba c/s 2 reales
- 1845 escudo
- Costa Rica (1846) c/m 2 reales KM-54 on a Bolivia 2 reales cob
- Costa Rica (1846) c/m 2 reales KM-56 on a U.S. liberty seated quarter
- Costa Rica (1846) c/m 4 reales KM-50 on a Guatemala 4 reales cob
- Costa Rica (1846) c/m 4 reales KM-51 on a Bolivia 4 soles
- Coins and currency dated 1845