Lazareto 1921-RH 2 centavos token
This specimen was lot 1015 in Sedwick Auction 37 (Winter Park, FL, May 2025), where it sold for $2,400. The catalog description[1] noted, "COLOMBIA, Bogotá, copper-nickel 2 centavos, 1921-RH, Lazareto, NGC UNC details / spot removals. Bold strike with strong luster, three small areas in obverse field where dark spots were buffed out, still exceptional grade and part of the finest denomination set in existence (previous three lots and next lot)." Leprosy, a wasting and disfiguring disease, has aroused fear and panic in societies around the world since Biblical times. To reduce contagion, victims were confined to leprosariums. In 1897, a medical conference in Berlin proposed the use of special money therein to prevent the spread of the disease. This was taken up in several countries, including Panama, Colombia, Japan, Philippines, Malaysia and elsewhere. Copper-nickel coins were issued for the leprosaria (Agua de Dios, Caño de Loro, and Contratación) in Colombia in denominations of one to fifty centavos. The "RH" is for engraver Roberto Hinestrosa. It was proven in the 1950's that the disease did not contaminate money and leprosarium coinage was gradually withdrawn. By that time, these coins were heavily worn. This example realized 240 times the catalog value.
Recorded mintage: 350,000.
Specification: 3 g, copper-nickel, 18.89 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: Restrepo-355.1; KM-L10.
- Almanzar, Alcedo, and Dale Seppa, Coins of Colombia, San Antonio, TX: 1973.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Restrepo, Jorge Emilio, Monedas de Colombia, 1619-2006, Medellin, Colombia: Impresiones Rojo, 2006.
- [1]Sedwick, Daniel Frank, Augi Garcia, Cori Sedwick Downing, Connor Falk and Sarah Sproles, Treasure Auction 37, World, U.S Coins and Paper Money, featuring the Almenara Collection of Colonial Peruvian Gold Coins, Winter Park, FL: Daniel Frank Sedwick LLC, 2025.
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