Philippines 1862 4 pesos
This specimen was lot 2395 in Goldberg sale 34 (Beverly Hills, February 2006), where it sold for $475. The catalog description[1] noted, "Philippines. 4 Pesos, 1862. Isabel II. Lightly cleaned. Lustrous. About Uncirculated. Provenance: Purchased private treaty, May 1967, $40.00." Besides the normal date shown here, the SCWC notes 1862/1 and 1862/0 overdates. This coin is the same weight and fineness as a Mexican two escudos.
The Philippines were conquered by Spain in the late 1500's. Other than introducing Christianity, the colonizers made little effort to develop the islands which gradually fell into the hands of the friars. Manila was important only as a way station on the route from China to Mexico and whatever coins were used there were derived therefrom. Crude, locally produced copper coins were issued c.1798-1835 and in the 1830's large quantities of Latin American pesos were counterstamped "F.7" or "Y.II" for local circulation. Finally, about 1860, a reforming government in Madrid sent the resources to reorganize the Manila mint and modern coinage began. These included gold one, two and four pesos (struck 1861-68).
The Eliasberg specimen (shown below) sold for $391. The catalog description[2] noted, "1862 4 pesos. AU-55 (NGC). 6.71 grams, 21.00 mm. Types as above. Medium yellow gold with deeper highlights and some lustre remaining. Purchased from Walter F. Webb, December 6, 1943."
Recorded mintage: 507,137, including overdates. This date is common but less so than the restrike date, 1868.
Specification: 18 mm diameter, 6.77 g, 0.875 fine gold, .190 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: Cayón-17390, Fr-1, Basso-70, KM-144.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- Basso, Aldo P., Coins, Medals and Tokens of the Philippines, Menlo Park, CA: 1968.
- Ganzon de Legarda, Angelita, Piloncitos to Pesos, A Brief History of Coinage in the Philippines, Manila: Bancom Development Corporation, 1976.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- 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 Juan Carlos I, 1474 a 2001, Barcelona: Aureo & Calicó, 2008.
- O'Connor, Patrick, The Coins of Queen Isabel II of Spain: A Detailed Study of the Coins, Patterns and Medals of Her Reign, San Antonio, TX: Aurora Rarities, LLC, 2017.
- [1]Goldberg, Ira, and Larry Goldberg, Goldberg Sale 34: the pre-Long Beach sale, Beverly Hills, CA: Ira and Larry Goldberg Auctioneers, 2006.
- [2]Kraljevich, John, John Pack, Elizabeth O. Piper and Frank Van Valen, The Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr., Collection of World Gold Coins and Medals, Wolfboro, NH: American Numismatic Rarities, 2005.
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