El Salvador 1833-L 2 reales
This specimen is from a series of debased two reales struck in 1828-34 while El Salvador was part of the Central American Republic. All provisional two reales of this type are very rare. The first specimen was lot 1377 in Sedwick Treasure Auction 21 (Winter Park, FL, May 2017), where it sold for $646.25. The catalog description[1] noted, "San Salvador, El Salvador, 2 reales, 1833L, with unidentified "leaf" countermark, encapsulated NGC Fine details/countermarked, ex-Richard Stuart (stated inside slab). Nicely toned VF (ignore the slab) with steel-gray toning, good strike with small weak spots at rims, off-center mountain side, full but currently unattributed countermark. Pedigreed to the Richard Stuart collection." This particular variety with assayer "L" is not noted in the SCWC, which lists this type for 1833-34. It appears that the "R" in "RL" has been effaced from the die. Assayer "RL" appears on a closely related variety (KM 11.9). The second specimen was lot 41085 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2023), where it sold for $2,880. The catalog description[2] noted,
"EL SALVADOR. 2 Reales, 1833-L. NGC VF-30. Variety with "SALVA". Ex: Stack's Bowers Galleries (5/2017) Lot # 72115. Ex: Richard Stuart Collection."
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 5.4 g, .633 fine silver.
Catalog reference: the first specimen KM-11.6, the second specimen KM 11.8.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Jovel, Roberto, and Brad Yonaka, The Provisional Coins of El Salvador in the Central American Federation: Identification of Types and Varieties, Long Beach, CA: Agorocu Consulting, 2020.
- Stickney, Brian, A Monetary History of Central America, New York: American Numismatic Society, 2017.
- [1]Sedwick, Daniel F., Augi Garcia and Cori Sedwick Downing, Treasure Auction #21, featuring Selections from the Richard Stuart Collection, Winter Park, FL: Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC, 2017.
- [2]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The January 2023 NYINC Auction: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, featuring the Taraszka Collection and the Mark and Dottie Salton Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2022.
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