Philippines 1903-S 50 centavos
This specimen was lot 1445 in Stacks-Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2015), where it did not sell. The catalog description[1] noted,
"PHILIPPINES. 50 Centavos, 1903-S. PCGS AU-50. Finest of only two known. EXTREMELY RARE. Only two examples are known with the San Francisco mintmark, of which this is the finer. The regular issue coins were struck without a mintmark to the tune of 3,101,619 pieces. An unknown, but extremely small number (ventured by Lyman Allen to be fewer than 10 pieces) were struck as assay or die trial pieces and were to have been destroyed. Apparently not all were. This date was discovered in the early 1980's, when this coin was discovered in a Manila coin dealer’s 'junk box'. It was purchased by another dealer. Upon authentication by the American Numismatic Association Authentication Bureau, the coin was offered to Amon Carter, Jr. who apparently agreed to purchase the coin, but passed away before the deal could be finalized. Thus, was not included in the famous sales of his collection sold by Stack’s and Coin Galleries in the 1980's and 1990's. The coin subsequently traded privately over the last nearly three decades, before being certified by PCGS and being sold to the current owner. This piece displays medium silver surfaces with some “flash” in the fields. Well struck and attractive. A major rarity in this series, the first available since August 2001, that piece is in an ANACS EF-45 holder, which sold for $22,000. It may be many years until another example appears at auction. An important opportunity not to be missed by the specialist in Philippine coinage."
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 13.48 g, 0.900 fine silver, .387 troy oz ASW.
Catalog reference: KM-167.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Ponterio, Richard, The January 2015 NYINC Auction: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, Featuring the John W. Adams and Ray Czabor Collections, Irvine, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2014.
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