Costa Rica 1866-GW 50 centavos
This specimen was lot 33093 in Heritage sale 3035 (Long Beach, September 2014), where it sold for $282. The catalog description[1] noted, "Ceiba 50 Centavos 1866 GW, KM112 with the standard overdate of 1866 over 1865 seen on all pieces of high enough quality to so judge. This die state employs 1865 dies for both sides as per the extensive and impressive Fred Mayer research done by Holland Wallace. Surfaces are reasonably nice, and lightly toned, with well above-normal details which makes our VF+ designation seem conservative. The Dana Robert's 'nearly EF' sold for $690 with active bidding in 2011; this is ex Fred Mayer." This type was struck for Costa Rica 1865-75 and is fairly scarce in nice condition. Costa Rica officially switched from the peso to the colon in 1897, which currency was reformed again in 1917 and 1920.
Recorded mintage: 29,000.
Specification: 12.5 g, 0.750 fine silver.
Catalog reference: KM 112.
- 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, and Warren Tucker, Heritage Signature Auction 3035, World and Ancient Coins, featuring the FoxLair Collection and the Law Collection, Dallas: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2014.
Link to: