Venezuela 1887 1/2 bolivar
Venezuela fully adopted a decimal coinage system in 1871, with 100 centavos = 1 venezuelano. By 1879, denominations were renamed centimos and bolivares, such that 100 centimos = 1 bolivar. A crown 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'. Shown is a 1887 half bolivar, minted in Caracas. The denomination is shown on the reverse as GR.2,5000. This type was struck 1879, 1886-89, 1893, 1900-03, 1911-12, 1919-21, 1924, 1929, 1935-36 at various mints. Despite the many years of production, only the 1935 is really common. The last silver issue was in 1960. The SCWC calls this a fifty centimos but the coin does not actually bear a denomination. This specimen was lot 7623 in Ponterio's November 2010 Baltimore Auction where it sold for $1,380. The catalog description reads: "VENEZUELA. 1/2 Bolivar, 1887. NGC AU-55."
Recorded mintage: 310,000.
Specifications: 2.50 g, 0.835 fine silver, 0.671oz ASW.
Catalog reference: KM Y21.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Stohr, Tomas, Catalogo de Monedas, Ensayos, Fichas y Resellos de Venezuela, Caracas, 1975.
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