Venezuela 1875 venezolano
This specimen was lot 994 in CNG Triton XXVIII (New York, January 2025), where it sold for $42,875. The catalog description[1] noted,
"VENEZUELA, Republic. 1830-pres. AV Venezolano Essai. Paris mint. Dies by Barré. Dated 1875. BOLÍVAR LIBERTADOR, bare head of Simón Bolívar right; ESSAI to lower left / · ESTADOS UNIDOS DE VENEZUELA · G 1.6129 · 1875 · LEI 900, coat-of-arms surmounted by crossed cornucopias; olive branch and palm frond flanking, all set on ribbon inscribed INDEPEND LIBERTAD 5 DE JUNO 1811 28 DE MARZO 1864 DIOS Y FEDON. In NGC encapsulation 6917297-002, graded PF 62. Extremely rare. Top Pop. From the Alexander Christopher Collection.
While a few examples of the larger 5, 10, and 20 Venezolano essais of 1875 have appeared on the market, none of this type have been offered since the John Jay Pittman Collection (David Akers, 9 August 1999), lot 3690 (hammer $18,400). The example offered there suggested there were perhaps only 5 known examples in total. A gilt copper uniface trial strike is also known: Heritage 3033 (8 August 2014), lot 23413 (hammer $75,000)."
This pattern was also struck in gilt copper. When the venezolano went into production in 1876, it was a silver coin the size of a French five francs.
Recorded mintage: 5?.
Specification: 1.61 g, 0.900 fine gold, this specimen 15 mm diameter, 1.51 g, 6 h axis, reeded edge.
Catalog reference: KM EA18.
- 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.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Stohr, Tomas, El Circulante en la Capitania General de Venezuela, Caracas, Banco Central de Venezuela, 1998.
- [1]Gasvoda, Michael, Victor England, Eric McFadden, Dave Michaels, Bill Dalzell and Lance Hickman, Triton XXVIII, Lancaster, PA: Classical Numismatic Group, LLC, 2024.
Link to: