Honduras 1881 1/2 centavo
The first specimen was lot 1054 in Sedwick Treasure Auction 28 (Winter Park, FL, November 2020), where it sold for $1,320. The catalog description[1] noted, "Honduras, bronze 1/2 centavo, 1881, very rare, PCGS AU58. Attractive light-bronze color with full and sharp details, practically no wear, second finest in PCGS census behind a single MS 62, with one at MS 63 (Whittier specimen) in NGC census, a key date of which KM says less than ten are known." The second specimen was lot 45382 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Oklahoma City, OK, August 2025), where it sold for $960. The catalog description[2] noted, "HONDURAS. 1/2 Centavo, 1881. NGC MS-63 Brown. RARE date. Tied with one other (the Whittier specimen) for "Top Pop" in the NGC census." This type was struck 1881-86, 1889-91 of which only the 1886 is common.
Reported Mintage: 171,000 per the SCWC, 289,758 per Numista.
Specification: 1.5 g, bronze, 15 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM-45; Y-13.
- 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]Sedwick, Daniel Frank, Augi Garcia and Cori Sedwick Downing, Treasure Auction 28, featuring the Dr. Peter Jones and John O'Brien collections, Winter Park, FL: Daniel Frank Sedwick LLC, 2020.
- [2]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, August 2025 Global Showcase Auction, World & Ancient Coins, featuring The Richard August Collection and the Richard Margolis Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2025.
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