Venezuela 1887 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 one bolivar, minted in Caracas. The denomination is shown on the reverse as GRAM.5. This specimen was lot 34663 in Heritage sale 3042 (Long Beach, September 2015), where it sold for $1,880. The catalog description[1] noted, "Republic Bolivar 1887 F12 NGC. A scarce date in all grades. Slate gray toning and a problem free coin."
Recorded mintage: 280,000.
Specifications: 5.0 g, 0.835 fine silver, 0.1342 oz ASW.
Catalog reference: KM Y22.
- 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]Cristiano Bierrenbach, Warren Tucker and David Michaels, Heritage World Coin Auction 3042, featuring the Read and Bob Bennett Collections, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2015.
Link to: