Nicaragua c/m 8 reales
This specimen was lot 30230 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2025), where it sold for $3,600. The catalog description[1] noted, "NICARAGUA. 8 Reales, ND (ca. mid-19th Century). PCGS Genuine--Cleaned, EF Details; Countermark: AU Details. Countermark: Crowned rampant lion left within oval incuse. Struck on a Bolivian 1777-PTS PR 8 Reales of Charles III (KM-55). Always a RARE and debated countermark type. Though identified by early catalogers with Leon, Nicaragua due to similarity to the city's coat of arms, there is scant evidence available to either confirm or disprove this hypothesis. Whatever its origin might be, the countermark is seen here in sharp, refined style far surpassing the lions on the host coin's royal arms. A touch of roughness is noted on the reverse, as well as an overall cleaned appearance. Nonetheless, the coin lacks much evidence of wear and so remains a pleasingly crisp exemplar with an attractive pale gray complexion. From the S.P. Rutherford Collection."
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: host coin 27.07 g, 0.903 fine silver.
Catalog reference: KM-Unlisted; cf. Herrera-pg. 120.
- Flores, Luis H., Nicaragua: Its Coins, Paper Money, Medals and Tokens, Managua: La Prensa, 2002.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, January 2025 NYINC Showcase Auction, featuring the Richard Margolis Collection, Part III, and the Richard August Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2024.
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