Venezuela 1911 1/2 bolivar
This specimen was lot 8509 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2022), where it sold for $216. The catalog description[1] noted, "VENEZUELA. 1/2 Bolivar (50 Centimos), 1911. Paris Mint. NGC EF Details--Surface Hairlines. This charming little minor exhibits a bold strike with light attractive mottled tone adding to the pleasing appearance of this SCARCE date. 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'. The silver issues did not possess the name of the denomination. Instead, the weight of the coin and silver fineness is listed on the side with the coat of arms. This type was struck 1879-1936 but only the last few dates are common. Varieties exist in the placement of the torch privy mark under the bust. The last silver half bolivar was struck in 1960.
Recorded mintage: 300,000, a scarce date.
Specification: 2.5 g, 0.835 fine silver.
Catalog reference: KM-Y21; Stohr-61.
- 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]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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