Costa Rica (1846) c/m 2 reales KM-54
In the mid-nineteenth century, Costa Rica suffered from recurring coin shortages. To alleviate this, the government counterstamped various foreign coins to validate them for local use. This type, from the series of 1846, is the fifth counterstamp listed in the SCWC. It was used on Bolivian two reales cobs (shown here) and various eight reales cobs from Bolivia, Guatemala and Mexico. Holed coins, not normally usable in commerce, were thereby legally circulated. The second specimen was lot 27797 in Heritage sale 3031 (Dallas, January 2014), where it sold for $2,585. The catalog description[1] noted, "Central American Republic 1846 2 Reales Countermark over Potosi 2 Reales 1751-Q, KM54 (variant). Under coin Very Fine, countermarks Very Fine. A nice example of this countermarked issue, since the under coin is in decent grade and identifiable (albeit the assayer is very faint on the reverse)."
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 6.77 g, 0.931 fine silver.
Catalog reference: KM 54.
- Byrne, Ray, Coins and Tokens of the Caribees, Decatur, IL: Jess Peters, Inc., 1975.
- 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]Bierrenbach, Cristiano, Warren Tucker and David Michaels, Heritage World and Ancient Coins Auction 3031, featuring the RLM Collection, the Isaac Rudman Collection, the Hans Cook Collection and the Collection of Donald E. Bently, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2013.
Link to:
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- Costa Rica (1846) c/m 8 reales on a French Louis Philippe 5 francs
- Costa Rica (1846) c/m 8 reales KM-58 on a Potosi cob 8 reales
- Costa Rica (1846) c/m 8 reales KM-59 on a Guatemalan cob 8 reales
- Costa Rica (1846) c/m 8 reales KM-62 on a Mexico klippe 8 reales
- 1846 ½ escudo
- 1848 ½ escudo
- 1849 1 real
- Coins and currency dated 1846
- return to coins of Costa Rica