Mexico 1885-Do B 50 centavos

from the Stack's Bowers sale of the Kirk Menczer Collection, lot 72239

This specimen was lot 72239 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, October 2025), where it sold for $168. The catalog description^[1] noted, "MEXICO. 50 Centavos, 1885-Do B. Durango Mint. NGC EF Details--Cleaned. Second finest of two examples graded by NGC, both Details. One year assayer. Toned and sharply struck. Interesting reverse dies that is not fully punched at mint. Part of the right wing is missing and part of the snake from beak to head. From the Kirk Menczer Collection of Republican Decimal Minors." The Durango mint struck silver fifty centavos for the Republic 1873-77, 1880-87. None of the dates are common and some are rare; this one is somewhat scarce. The SCWC mentions a repunched overassayer, B/P, for the year.

Recorded mintage: unknown but not common.

Specification: 13.53 g, 0.903 fine silver, 30.5 mm diameter, reeded edge.

Catalog reference: KM-407.3.

Source:

• Buttrey, T. V., and Clyde Hubbard, A Guide Book of Mexican Coins, 1822 to date, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 1992.
• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
• ^[1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, October 2025 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, featuring the Kirk Menczer Collection of Republican Decimal Minors and the Richard August Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2025.

Link to:

• 1885-D^O 10 centavos
• 1885-A^S 10 centavos
• 1885-C^N 10 centavos
• 1885-G^O 10 centavos
• 1885-H^O 10 centavos
• 1885-M^O 10 centavos
• 1885-P^I C 10 centavos
• 1885-P^I H 10 centavos
• 1885-Z^S 10 centavos
• 1885-A 25 centavos
• 1885-CH 25 centavos
• 1885-C^N 25 centavos
• 1885-D^O 25 centavos
• 1885-G^O 25 centavos
• 1885-H^O 25 centavos
• 1885-M^O 25 centavos
• 1885-P^I H 25 centavos
• 1885-Z^S 25 centavos
• 1885-A^S 50 centavos
• 1885-CH^A 50 centavos
• 1885-C^N 50 centavos
• 1885-G^O 50 centavos
• 1885-M^O 50 centavos
• 1885-P^I H 50 centavos
• 1885-Z^S 50 centavos
• 1885-A^S 8 reales
• 1885-C^A 8 reales
• 1885-C 8 reales
• 1885-C^N 8 reales
• 1885-D^O MC 8 reales
• 1885-D^O JB 8 reales
• 1885-G^A AH 8 reales
• 1885-G^A JS 8 reales
• 1885-G^O 8 reales
• 1885-H^O 8 reales
• 1885-M^O 8 reales
• 1885-O^A 8 reales
• 1885-P^I MH 8 reales
• 1885-P^I LC 8 reales
• 1885-Z^S 8 reales
• 1885-C^N gold peso
• 1885-M^O gold peso
• 1885-M^O 2½ pesos
• 1885-A^S 10 pesos
• 1885-M^O 20 pesos
• Coins and currency dated 1885
• return to Decimal coinage of the Republic of Mexico, 1863-1905