Venezuela 1876 2-1/2 centavos
This specimen was lot 8442 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2022), where it sold for $120. The catalog description[1] noted, "VENEZUELA. 2-1/2 Centavos, 1876. Philadelphia Mint. NGC EF Details--Surface Hairlines. A somewhat SCARCE two-year type with a bit of wear on the centers and some light marks in the fields. Close inspection reveals light signs of a past cleaning, now light[ly] toned and attractive. The surfaces display light patina with a hint of almond color. From the Centuria Collection." Venezuela adopted a complete decimal coinage system in 1871, with 100 centavos = 1 venezuelano. By 1879, denominations were renamed centimos and bolivares, such that 100 centimos = 1 bolivar. The peso sized coin was equivalent to five bolivares. The official title of the country from 1864 was 'Estados Unidos de Venezuela', a name it would carry until 1953, when the constitution mandated a return to the name 'Republica de Venezuela'. This type was struck 1876-77 but never issued again, being superseded by the 12½ centimos.
Recorded mintage: 1,500,000.
Specification: copper-nickel.
Catalog reference: KM-Y26; Stohr-39.
- 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]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The 2022 NYINC Sale: World and Ancient Coins, featuring the Mark and Lottie Salton Collection and the Pat Johnson Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2021.
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