Spain 1866-OM 5 centimos 3 point star

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Aureo sale 232, lot 358

The specimen shown was lot 358 in Aureo y Calicó sale 232 (Barcelona, March 2011), where it sold for 220 euros (about US$363 including buyer's fee). The catalog description[1] noted,

"1866. Segovia. OM. 5 céntimos de escudo. Bella. Brillo original. Escasa así. EBC+. (Five centimos de escudo of 1866, Segovia mint, nice original luster, scarce thus, choice extremely fine.)"

This Spanish five centimos was part of the second decimal reform of 1864. In 1850, the 20 reales was reduced to 26.91 grams. This having proven unsatisfactory, the coinage was reformed again in 1864. The 20 reales was dropped in favor of a two escudos silver coin, reduced to 25.96 grams. One hundred centimos = one escudo. Instead of the traditional "M" and "S" mintmarks the issues are distinguished by three, four, six, seven or eight pointed stars on the reverse (for Segovia, Jubia, Madrid, Seville and Barcelona). Unfortunately, the government, financially prostrate as usual, was unable to remint the old coins, which continued to circulate as before. Finally, in 1868-70, after the queen was overthrown and sent into exile, a third reform did what should have been done originally, set the five pesetas equal to the French five francs.

Recorded mintage: unknown but common.

Specification: copper, 10 g, 32.2 mm diameter.

Catalog reference: Cayón-16776, KM 635.4, Cal-631.

Sources:

  • 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]Sisó, Teresa, Eduardo Domingo and Lluís Lalana, Selección de 500 Monedas, Medallas y Billetes, Barcelona: Aureo y Calicó Subastas, 2011.
  • Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.

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