Venezuela 1905 2 bolivares
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 = one 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 two bolivares, minted in Paris. The denomination is shown on the reverse as GRAM.10. This specimen was lot 4923 in Goldberg sale 65 (Los Angeles, September 2011), where it sold for $253. The catalog description[1] noted, "Venezuela. 2 Bolivares, 1905. Upright 5. Head of Bolivar. Trace of luster. NGC graded EF-45." Two date varieties exist, priced about the same.
Recorded mintage: 750,000.
Specifications: 10 g, 0.835 fine silver, 0.2695 oz ASW.
Catalog reference: Y 23.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Stohr, Tomas, El Circulante en la Capitania General de Venezuela, Caracas, Banco Central de Venezuela, 1998.
- [1]Goldberg, Ira, and Larry Goldberg, Goldberg sale 65: The Pre-Long Beach Auction, Ancient and World Coins, Los Angeles: Goldberg Coins and Collectibles, 2011.
Link to: