Heritage World Coin Auctions
CICF Signature Sale 3046 14-15 April 2016
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Costa Rica
Republic 50 Centimos 1903-JCV MS65 NGC, San Jose mint, KM143. Gem Mint State with most attractive golden and mauve hues over partially prooflike fields. A superb coin for this series, extremely rare in this fantastic preservation and in all probability the finest extant. The cataloguer thinks the note in the SCWC regarding coins of this date ("Philadelphia mint struck an additional 250,000 in 1904 with the 1903 date") is mistaken. While the Philadelphia mint did strike 250,000 coins of 50 Centimos for Costa Rica in 1904 (see p. 19 in the 1905 Annual Report of the Director of the Mint), it would appear that these were dated 1904 and had the "GDR" inscription (for Gobierno de Costa Rica) instead of the "JCV" one (for assayer Jose Cubero Vargas). The government of Costa Rica had authorized by edict # 85 of 1903-1904 dated January 29, 1904 to put an additional 132,000 colones in silver coins into circulation. In accordance with this edict, edict # 30 for the 1904-1905 fiscal year dated October 29 translates as follows: "The President of the Republic hereby authorizes the circulation of 250,000 coins in silver of the denomination of 50 Centimos of a colon that have been delivered today to the General Administration of Revenue (under the authority of the Banco de Costa Rica). These coins bear the initials of the Government of Costa Rica, G. C. R. and the date 1904, as indicative of their year of fabrication; their other characteristics of size, alloy and weight are the ones established by the law # 4 of august 14, 1900." Apparently, these 1904-dated coins were never put effectively into circulation although the hereby transcribed references leave little doubt that these pieces were indeed minted. Ex. Lissner collection (CNG 8/2014, lot for $1,100).From the Pura Vida Collection, Part II
Estimate: 900-1200 USD
Republic 50 Centimos 1903-JCV MS65 NGC, San Jose mint, KM143. Gem Mint State with most attractive golden and mauve hues over partially prooflike fields. A superb coin for this series, extremely rare in this fantastic preservation and in all probability the finest extant. The cataloguer thinks the note in the SCWC regarding coins of this date ("Philadelphia mint struck an additional 250,000 in 1904 with the 1903 date") is mistaken. While the Philadelphia mint did strike 250,000 coins of 50 Centimos for Costa Rica in 1904 (see p. 19 in the 1905 Annual Report of the Director of the Mint), it would appear that these were dated 1904 and had the "GDR" inscription (for Gobierno de Costa Rica) instead of the "JCV" one (for assayer Jose Cubero Vargas). The government of Costa Rica had authorized by edict # 85 of 1903-1904 dated January 29, 1904 to put an additional 132,000 colones in silver coins into circulation. In accordance with this edict, edict # 30 for the 1904-1905 fiscal year dated October 29 translates as follows: "The President of the Republic hereby authorizes the circulation of 250,000 coins in silver of the denomination of 50 Centimos of a colon that have been delivered today to the General Administration of Revenue (under the authority of the Banco de Costa Rica). These coins bear the initials of the Government of Costa Rica, G. C. R. and the date 1904, as indicative of their year of fabrication; their other characteristics of size, alloy and weight are the ones established by the law # 4 of august 14, 1900." Apparently, these 1904-dated coins were never put effectively into circulation although the hereby transcribed references leave little doubt that these pieces were indeed minted. Ex. Lissner collection (CNG 8/2014, lot for $1,100).From the Pura Vida Collection, Part II
Estimate: 900-1200 USD