Recent acquisition 1770 Mexico 8 Reales "Pillar Dollar". Mexico City mint. I've been fascinated by these ever since I was a little kid and saw the picture and history of these that they always include in the forward of the Red Book!
26.8 grams, 39.5 mm
Thanks for looking!
Another one from the Brazilian/Portuguese Empire, this time one struck in Bahia over a visible 8 Reales 1792 - Charles IV - New Spain (Mexico).
I'm enjoying seeing everyone's Crowns, so I thought I'd share one of mine!
Austrian States Ferdinand II of Tyrol Thaler. 1577-1595.
28.3 grams, 40.6 mm
Next on the list is a nice Wildman!
Thanks for looking!
The very last silver 5 Lire crown with the second Italian King Humbert I. The Latin Monetary Union banned the 5 Francs coins, allowing only the issue of smaller denominations in silver.
The next King of Italy, Victor Emmanuel III was a coin collector so he tried three times to get his own 5 Lire. The first attempt in 1901 was blocked and only few coins survived. The second was successful but the anniversary 5 Lire of 1911 is madly expensive. The 1914 issue was stopped by the outbreak of the war although some coins apparently reached the market. None of them is within my budget and there are too many counterfeits.
Coins of the first Cuban republic:
All shown were minted at the Philadelphia Mint (except the 1897 peso)
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1897 "Souvenir” Peso (type 3):
Mintage 4856
36mm dia, 22.5g, .900
These coins were minted to raise funds for the Cubans fighting for independence from Spain.
As we had diplomatic relations with Spain, we could not be seen as supporting the revolutionaries. For plausible deniability, these coins were struck at the Gorham Manufacturing Company, Providence R.I. instead of the Philadelphia mint, as well as being marked “Souvenir” rather than “Peso”
Bonus fact, Gorham also made the flatware and tea service for Mary Todd Lincoln for the Lincoln White House.
In 1898, a year after these coins were minted, the USS Maine exploded in Havana Harbor.
With Spain being blamed and the US declaring war, there was no further need to feign neutrality. In 1898 a run of 1000 coins were minted with the word “Peso” in place of “Souvenir” Thus began the US mintage of Cuban coinage up through 1960 (or 61?).
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1915 “Star” Pesos (high relief):
Mintage 1,976,000
38mm dia, 26.7295g, .900
Stuck on US Morgan dollar planchettes.
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1933 Peso (low relief):
Mintage 1,976,000
38mm dia, 26.7295g, .900
Stuck on US peace dollar planchettes.
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1934 “ABC” Peso:
Mintage 7,000,000
38mm dia, 26.7295g, .900
Stuck on US peace dollar planchettes.
First year of the “ABC” peso. Both the star and ABC pesos were minted in 1934
Named after the ABC revolutionary group fighting to overthrow President Gerardo Machado.
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1953 “José Martí” Peso
Mintage 1,000,000
38mm dia, 26.7295g, .900
Stuck on US peace dollar planchettes.
100th. Anniversary (birth) of Martí 1953 who founded the Cuban Revolutionary Party in 1892 to fight for independence from Spain.
One year coin.
Some other bonus coins at the end:
1915 40 centavos: 28.9mm, 10g, .900
1916 20 centavos: 23mm, 5g, .900
1915 10 centavos: 17.8mm, 2.5g, .900
1915 5 centavos: 21mm, CuNi
Was going to add these but I guess there is a limit to how many you can upload:
1915 2 centavos: 19mm, CuNi
1915 1 centavo: 17mm, CuNi
Strike quality SP. Both toned nicely.
Obverse
Portrait of mature King George I head facing left, date below
Script: Greek
Lettering:
ΓΕΩΡΓΙΟΣ Α! ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΣ ΤΩΝ ΕΛΛΗΝΩΝ
ΒΑΡΡΕ
1876 A
Translation:
George I King of the Greeks
Barre
Engraver: Désiré-Albert Barre
Reverse
Arms within the crowned mantle, denomination below
Script: Greek
Lettering:
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΟΝ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ
5 ΔΡΑΧΜΑΙ
ΙΣΧΥΣ ΜΟΥ Η ΑΓΑΠΗ ΤΟΥ ΛΑΟΥ
Translation:
Kingdom of Greece
5 Drachmai
My Power the Love of the people
Engraver: Désiré-Albert Barre
Edge
Reeded
5 Drachmai - George I (2nd portrait) - obverse
© Michass (CC BY-SA)
Mint
A Monnaie de Paris, Paris (and Pessac starting 1973), France (864-date)