Spain 1878-OM 5 centimos
This Spanish five centimos was part of the third decimal reform of 1870. In 1850, the twenty reales was reduced to 26.91 grams. This having proven unsatisfactory, the coinage was reformed again in 1864. The twenty reales was dropped in favor of a two escudos silver coin, reduced to 25.96 grams. One hundred centimos = one escudo. By the reform of 1870, the revolutionary government adopted the standard of the Latin Monetary Union, where one peseta = one French franc and five pesetas = 25 g of silver, 0.900 fine. The peseta remained in use (tho it ceased to be silver in the 1930's) until the adoption of the euro in 2001. This type was struck in large numbers at Barcelona 1877-79 yet is rare in nice condition. The second specimen was lot 1198 in Stephen Album internet sale 28 (Santa Rosa, CA, July 2024), where it sold for $132. The catalog description[1] noted, "SPAIN: Alfonso XII, 1874-1885, AE 5 centimos, 1878-OM, OM = Oeschger Mesdach & Co, a wonderful example, PCGS graded MS64 RB, ex Joe Sedillot Collection."
Recorded mintage: 67,953,657.
Specification: 5.25 g, bronze.
Catalog reference: Cayón-17478, KM 674.
- 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.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Album, Stephen, Joseph Lang, Paul Montz, Michael Barry and Norman Douglas Nicol, Internet Auction 28, Santa Rosa, CA: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc., 2024.
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