Costa Rica (1846) c/m 4 reales KM-50

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Heritage sale 3037, lot 29292
Costa Rica H3037-29292r.jpg

This specimen was lot 29292 in Heritage sale 3037 (New York, January 2015), where it sold for $9,400. The catalog description[1] noted,

"Republic countermarked 4 Reales (1846) G4 NGC, San Jose mint. Type IV bifacial countermark over a 4 Reales Guatemala 1746 G-J. Host coin Good (but amazingly, with a full date!), countermark about Fine. By decree of October 15, 1846, the genuine circulating cobs of 1, 2, 4 and 8 Reales were to be countermarked to distinguish them from the various circulating counterfeits and legalize them. Two main circular dies were prepared for the operation, both sized 11mm thus the size of a ½ Escudo coin: they bear the usual Ceiba Tree design with the value '1. R.' or '2. R.' flanking it and the circular legend 'HABILITADA EN COSTA RICA JB' (for assayer Juan Barth). The other side of the countermark was applied using the obverse die of the CAR 1/2 Escudo 1846 CR-JB. The '1. R.' dies were used to countermark the 1 and 4 Reales cobs, while the '2. R.' dies were used on the 2 and 8 Reales cobs. In addition, an additional stamp with the value of '4' or '8' was applied on the coins of 4 and 8 Reales respectively. Both of these higher denomination base coins are very rare with the counterstamp, with the 4 Reales probably the more elusive of the two (hardly surprising since the 4 Reales type is the scarcest denomination for the cob series to begin with). Worn and/or holed coins are the norm, making this fully dated unholed example particularly desirable. We expect strong attention from the specialists of this fascinating and challenging series."

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: silver.

Catalog reference: KM 50.

Source:

  • 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 Scott Cordry, Heritage Signature Auction 3037, featuring the Empire, the Santa Catarina, the Law and the Santa Maria Collections, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2014.

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