Guatemala (1894) peso KM-225

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Heritage sale 3076, lot 34147
Guatemala H3076-34147r.jpg

This specimen was lot 34147 in Heritage sale 3076 (Long Beach, CA, September 2019), where it sold for $384. The catalog description[1] noted, "Guatemala: Republic Counterstamped Peso 1894 AU58 NGC, Displaying 1/2 Real counterstamp on the obverse and reverse of a Peru 5 Pesetas 1880-B with dot (cf. KM201.1). A scarcer host for this highly collectible counterstamped series, and an exceptionally fine example at that--one a single piece presently ranking finer at NGC." The SCWC notes of this type, "By 1894, foreign coins had become so prevalent that on August 10, the government authorized their counter-stamping at the mint, with official ½ real dies of 1894, to legitimize their circulation." To this author, there are problems with this interpretation; the counterstamped coins are almost exclusively Chilean pesos or Peruvian soles and the surviving specimens are generally in good condition, suggesting that they were new or nearly new when they were counterstamped. Previous counterstamping operations in Guatemala had been of heavily worn coins. It is this author's surmise that the mint purchased the coins from Chile and Peru with the intention of counterstamping them and that the other, rare varieties were mixed in by accident.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 25 g, 0.900 fine silver, .723 troy oz ASW.

Catalog reference: KM 225.

Source:

  • 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]Bierrenbach, Cristiano and Warren Tucker, Heritage World and Ancient Coins Auction 3076, featuring the Allen Moretti Swiss Collection and the James Mossman Collection of Canadian Coinage, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2019.

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