Guayana 1813 1/4 real
This is a specimen of a type issued by the royalists in Guayana, Venezuela. Like most local issues produced outside the major mints (Lima, Potosi, etc.), it usually comes crudely struck. This type was authorized by the royalists in 1813 to compensate for a coin shortage due to Guayana's isolation from other royalist-held areas. Venezuela attained separate independence in 1830. This specimen was lot 51086 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2024), where it sold for $7,800. The catalog description[1] noted,
"VENEZUELA. Guayana. 1/4 Real, 1813 (1815). Ferdinand VII. NGC AU-55. Variety with Arabic and Roman "1" in date. A VERY RARE type for this denomination. On the rare occasion that one is offered in auction, they are usually corroded and barely identifiable. As such, this exceptionally well-preserved example is a unique opportunity for collectors of Venezuela's War of Independence issues. Indeed, this piece is the finest out of just four certified by NGC. The castle side displays the denomination prominently along with a clear view of the full outer legend. The lion on the opposing side remains quite clear, and the date can be made out despite a touch of peripheral weakness. Most strikingly, the surfaces are entirely wholesome and problem-free, showcasing a rich chocolate brown patina.
Amidst the declaration of the first Venezuelan republic in 1811, the rural provinces of Guayana and Maracaibo remained loyal to the Spanish crown. The instability of the ensuing war isolated the royalist hinterlands of the country from the major bases of Spanish control, naturally resulting in shortages of circulating coinage. Guayana's provincial governor, attempting to address the problem, issued a request dated October 26, 1813 for the local production of necessity coinage in 1/4 Real and 1/2 Real denominations. While the 1/2 Reales were minted continuously until 1817, the 1/4 real is far rarer, and only found dated 1813. Given the date of the initial request, it's probable that the Cuartillo was produced for only about two months, explaining its great scarcity.
It should be noted that leading Venezuelan numismatists assert that this variety with a "4" that looks similar to an "A" is actually dated 1815. Given the great scarcity of the type and the near-universal crudeness of surviving examples, it is difficult to make a conclusive determination. In either case, an impressive example of the type."
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: copper.
Catalog reference: Cayón-unlisted, EMO-261.1 (Plate coin); KM-C40; Cal-78; Stohr-P1.
- Cayón, Adolfo, Clemente Cayón and Juan Cayón, Las Monedas Españolas, del Tremis al Euro: del 411 a Nuestros Dias, 2 volumes, Madrid: Cayón-Jano S.L., 2005.
- Calicó, Xavier, Numismática Española: Catálogo General con Precios de Todas las Monedas Españolas Acuñadas desde Los Reyes Católicos Hasta Felipe VI, 1474 a 2020, Barcelona: Aureo & Calicó, 2019.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Stohr, Tomas, El Circulante en la Capitania General de Venezuela, Caracas, Banco Central de Venezuela, 1998.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, January 2024 NYINC Auction, featuring the Emilio M Ortiz Collection and a Symphony of Russian Rarities, the Rothschild-Piatigorsky Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2023.
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