Venezuela 1905 20 bolivares
Venezuela fully adopted a decimal coinage system in 1871, with 100 centavos = one 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 1905 twenty bolivares, minted in Paris. The denomination is shown on the reverse as GR.6,4516. It was lot 7144 on June 17, 2011 at the June 2011 Baltimore Auction – Sale #92 where it sold for $517.50. The catalog description reads: "VENEZUELA. 20 Bolivares, 1905. PCGS MS-63."
Recorded mintage: 100,000.
Specifications: 6.4516 g, 0.900 fine gold, 0.1867 oz AGW.
Catalog reference: Fr-5C; Y-32.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- 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.
- Stohr, Tomas, El Circulante en la Capitania General de Venezuela, Caracas, Banco Central de Venezuela, 1998.
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