El Salvador (1862-63) c/s 8 reales
This specimen was lot 22324 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (Newport Beach, CA, January 2021), where it sold for $3,840. The catalog description[1] noted, "El Salvador - Guatemala. 8 Reales, ND (1862-63). NGC VF Details--Mount Removed; Countermark: EF Strong. Type IV countermark: "R within circle of dots" in circular incuse; all on an 1859 Guatemalan Peso (KM-178). One of the great RARITIES of the entire Latin American series, this countermarked issue is known to exist in very small numbers and is greatly desired and hotly collected no matter the details designation; minor evidence of having a mounted removed long ago as indicated on the NGC insert. Despite its shortcomings this seldom encountered type displays richly toned surfaces and is quite attractive overall sure to see spirited bidding from many collectors. Ex: Richard Stuart Collection." El Salvador spent most of the first decades of independence struggling to free herself from Guatemalan domination. Some debased silver provisional coinage was issued 1828-34 but no proper national coinage appeared until 1889. In between are several series of countermarks applied to foreign coins to validate them for use. This countermark, applied exclusively to Guatemalan coins of the Carrera regime, is fairly common on half, one and two reales but rare on four and eight reales.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: host coin 25 g, 0.903 fine silver.
Catalog reference: KM-99.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Raymond, Wayte, The Coins of Central America, Silver and Copper, 1824-1940, New York: Wayte Raymond Inc., 1941.
- Robinson, Charles, The Coins of Central America, 1733-1965, San Benito, TX: 1965.
- Stickney, Brian, A Monetary History of Central America, New York: American Numismatic Society, 2017.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Richard Ponterio and Kyle Ponterio, The January 2021 NYINC Sale: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, featuring the Oro del Nuevo Mundo and Matt Orsini Collections, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2020.
Link to:
- El Salvador 1839 c/m 8 reales type II c/m on a Peru 8 reales
- El Salvador (1862-63) c/s 1/2 real type IV c/m on a Guatemala 1860 ½ real
- El Salvador (1862-63) c/s real type IV c/m on a Guatemala 1862 1 real
- El Salvador (1862-63) c/s 2 reales type IV c/m on a Guatemala 1862 2 reales
- Guatemala 1859-R peso
- El Salvador (1862-63) c/s 4 reales type IV c/m on a Guatemala 1861 4 reales
- Coins and currency dated 1862