Costa Rica
Republic gold 20 Pesos 1873-GW AU55 NGC, San Jose mint, KM119, Fr-17. A well preserved coin with slight high-point friction evidence defining the grade and moderate scattered handling marks, this example displays attractive orange toning while retaining strong mint luster. This very rare one-year type was struck with dies commissioned to well-known German engraver W. Kullrich under President Tomas Guarda and is in all probability the most valuable coin in the entire Costa Rican series, with less than fifteen confirmed specimens, including the ones currently impounded in public institutions. An apparently reliable account by a close friend of Guarda quoted by Murillo ("Historia de las monedas de Costa Rica", pp. 100-101) pointed to it being essentially a presentation issue with only 100 coins minted, all given to friends and dignitaries. This is well in line to the present high rarity of surviving specimens and their characteristics: although most of them are mishandled, they show in fact little actual circulation evidence. One of the finer seen examples of this legendary issue by the cataloger (three other examples are currently certified finer by NGC, none of which are in Mint State), a highly desirable and quite remarkable coin with a legendary pedigree.Ex. Eliasberg Collection (ANR 5/2005, lot 1700 for $34,000).From the Pura Vida Collection, Part I
Estimate: 30000-40000 USD