Argentina 1880-E centavo KM-Pn17

from the Stack's Bowers October 2021 Collector's Choice sale, lot 70085

In the late 1870's as news spread that the government of Argentina was going to embark on a national coinage for the first time since 1837, mint salesmen leaped into action. Dozens of patterns, essais and piedforts were made to lure coinage contracts. This one and its accompanying two centavos were made in copper, silver and gold, probably at Paris or Brussels. This specimen was lot 70085 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, October 2021), where it sold for $216. The catalog description^[1] noted, "ARGENTINA. Copper Centavo Pattern, 1880-E. NGC MS-64 Red Brown. A pleasing, sharply struck Pattern with flashy, prooflike fields that bring out a dark red to brick-red hue."

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: copper or bronze.

Catalog reference: KM-Pn17; Janson-40.

Source:

• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
• Janson, Hector Carlos, La Moneda Circulante En El Territorio Argentino, 1574-2015, Buenos Aires, 2015.
• ^[1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The October 2021 Collector's Choice sale: World and Ancient Coins, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2021.

Link to:

• 1878 pattern centavo
• 1882 10 centavos
• Coins and currency dated 1880