Uruguay 1878-A peso
This specimen was lot 72875 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Santa Ana, CA, October 2019), where it sold for $2,040. The catalog description[1] noted, "Key Date Uruguayan Peso. URUGUAY. Peso, 1878-A. Paris Mint. Republic. PCGS AU-55. One of only two certified by PCGS, the present example far exceeds the only other graded (a VF-35). A great rarity of Uruguayan coinage, only 100,000 1878 Pesos were struck in Paris, but 43,200 were melted after being recovered from an ocean shipwreck. The present coin is nearing Uncirculated aside for some light handling. It is a blast white piece with some pleasing touches of russet toning, and the strike is sharp enough to satisfy the critical eye of any collector. A rare opportunity to acquire such a spectacular piece! From the Cerro Catedral Collection." This type was slightly lighter than the 1877 issue; the issue of 1878 and 1893-95 was 25 grams. The 1893 issue was struck at Santiago, Chile. Uruguayan coinage was sporadic in the nineteenth century and many issues are rare; this one is very rare. The 1917 commemorative is the last full size peso.
Recorded mintage: 100,000 (The SCWC notes that 43,200 were melted after sea salvage).
Specification: 25 g, 0.900 fine silver.
Catalog reference: KM-17a.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Richard Ponterio and Kyle Ponterio, The October 2019 Collector's Choice Sale: World and Ancient Coins, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2019.
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