Gold Coins of South America

[richatthecroft]

7 minutes ago, Kookaburracollector said:

Just picked up 7 more Una Libras (see Today I Received), but this one deserves a special mention.

Thanks for your update- I like to see your Libra collection growing.

Despite its condition- its the first year of issue- nice date filler if nothing else- unknown mintage according to Numista- but none of the year dates are too large.

The 1903 looks to be in fabulous condition- not sure what the green tint is about- but the Copper theory seems plausible. 

[SilvergunSuperman]

I picked this up back in the days when I was collecting random unusual coins. Venezuelan Urimare, 1.5g 0.9 fineness.

[Roy]

.

Edited January 29, 2020 by Roy

[Roy]

Snap! 

(just noticed the legend is different?)

Edited January 29, 2020 by Roy

[Kookaburracollector]

If I could afford to buy these I would, they would make a great coin to collect. A fair few to go after chaps!

[Roy]

Yes, different weights too!

They are not really coins though?

Did you find out the Swiss connection? I'll look later when I'm free

[Kookaburracollector]

6 minutes ago, Roy said:

Yes, different weights too!

They are not really coins though?

Did you find out the Swiss connection? I'll look later when I'm free

Hi...I didn’t know of a Swiss connection, but I do now😃 (Googled it)...they were minted there!👍

Add these to my list of ‘Wants’...I bet Alun could make a nice case for them as well!

[Roy]

Look at the sizes! 1.5g to 22.2g. The tiddlers would be cheap to collect but they are really small 😀

[Kookaburracollector]

More Una Libras acquired today, two are worthy of additional comment🤔!

The 1915 below has no assayer mark (which would usually lye to the right hand side of the date).When graded by NGC, this will be the first and only one in the registry.

The only 1915 graded by NGC has the assayer mark PVG.

According to Numista, other assayer marks for 1915 exist :- PMGG and PVH but none have ever been graded..these coins are so rare, which make the hunt for them even more enjoyable😀. (Mintage for this year is unknown)

 

The 1907 below also has an unknown mintage, but as four have been graded by NGC, may well be a higher mintage than the 1915 above.

If at first you don’t succeed ...it would appear the ‘7’ in the date has been struck twice as has the ‘G’ in the assayer legend.

Edited February 11, 2020 by Kookaburracollector

[Kookaburracollector]

Just back from NGC the 1915 from above...and as predicted it is one of one.

 

[augur]

1 hour ago, Kookaburracollector said:

Just back from NGC the 1915 from above...and as predicted it is one of one.

Wow 😲 and in mint condition 

Do you have more one of a kind?

[Kookaburracollector]

3 minutes ago, augur said:

Wow 😲 and in mint condition 

Do you have more one of a kind?

Just the wife 😂! But she ain’t MS!

Edited July 17, 2020 by Kookaburracollector

[augur]

An interesting format is the ‘25 Franc’ sized 5 Venezolanos and 5 Pesos / Argentino.

Theses are the ‘entry’ coins into this format since 5 Pesos from Guatemala and Colombia carry a much higher premium. While all coins weigh 1/4 of a 100 Franc or 20 Pesos piece (as per legend 8.0645 g), there is quite some variety in diameter and thickness across the currencies (21.3 mm - 22.2 mm). Since the 5 Venezolanos was minted by the Monnaie de Paris, the diameter of 22 mm and thickness of 1.5 can probably be considered an unofficial LMU standard.

 

[dicker]

@Kookaburracollector

I had missed this thread - many thanks for the very detailed ifo and great pictures.  
 

When I looked to see if there were restrikes on the Peru coins I could find no info to indicate there were. 
 

Best

Dicker

[Kookaburracollector]

1 hour ago, dicker said:

@Kookaburracollector

I had missed this thread - many thanks for the very detailed ifo and great pictures.  
 

When I looked to see if there were restrikes on the Peru coins I could find no info to indicate there were. 
 

Best

Dicker

Hi Dicker...I don’t think there are any restrikes for this coin, none that I have discovered anyway. The history of these coins is a little sketchy in places, as not even the Peruvian Mint know the exact mintage figures for some of the years they were made.

What I really like about them, is that they are the same size as a sovereign, but you can collect them more or less without any competition!(at the moment)..

I recently acquired a rare date, a 1961 with a mintage of only 402...it is now with Numi for grading..it cost less than £600. Can you imagine how much such a rare sovereign would cost?...way out of my price range that’s for sure.

Glad you like the thread...I have sent another seven Una Libras off for grading, and one of them is something really rare🤔...

I am also looking at another coin to collect from South America..5 Quetzales from Guatemala...but maybe not just yet.

 

[dicker]

Hi @KookaburracollectorIndeed!

They are very nice coins with an interesting history.  I have asked a friend who lives in South America to have a look at / for records on these coins.  He is a busy chap but will eventually come back with some info which I will share if you are interested?  I don’t have the language skills and access to sources sadly.

Best

Dicker

[Kookaburracollector]

A real rarity just back from grading, and a far better result than I could have hoped for.

So...why so rare?

Although this coin has a mintage of 2002, something happened in 1968 that resulted in most of these coins being melted for scrap 😱. The price of gold rocketed by over 22% in a short period of time, meaning the scrap value would have been too attractive to resist...So into the melting pot they went!

So far, this is the only 1967 to be graded by any grading company, and I am only aware of one other known example, and that is held in very tight hands.

 

[Kookaburracollector]

My two children are reunited..1967 Una Libra No2 just back from grading:- (see above for No 1)

The grade was a real surprise...

At time of going to press...412 Una Libras have been graded by NGC, and only one previously has been graded as Proof Like! Hence the happiness with the grade...

[augur]

1 hour ago, Kookaburracollector said:

My two children are reunited..1967 Una Libra No2 just back from grading:-

[...]

The grade was a real surprise...

At time of going to press...412 Una Libras have been graded by NGC, and only one previously has been graded as Proof Like! Hence the happiness with the grade...

I wonder which lucky Llama herder might be in possession of the other proof like designation. 

[richatthecroft]

7 minutes ago, augur said:

I wonder which lucky Llama herder might be in possession of the other proof like designation. 

Mmm 🤔 @augur?

[Kookaburracollector]

1 hour ago, richatthecroft said:

Mmm 🤔 @augur?

A good guess...but I am the llama shepherd😂

Augur is more into minty pigs 🐷😂🐷

[RedDragon77]

On 06/12/2019 at 04:18, augur said:

The Sugar Barons in Cuba used slightly bigger coins for their daily shopping 

Not quite 100 soles territory, though. 

The use of the term sugar barons is appreciated! Just found this thread and it is awesome!

[Kookaburracollector]

Just for you @richatthecroft...The date run to date....although I do have another one in for grading, and two inbound from Geneva.👍

[richatthecroft]

7 hours ago, Kookaburracollector said:

Just for you @richatthecroft...The date run to date....although I do have another one in for grading, and two inbound from Geneva.👍

Fabulous!  Just Fabulous 😃  This is a labour of love of these beautiful little coins- how many more do you require?  

[1817Karl]

7 hours ago, Kookaburracollector said:

Just for you @richatthecroft...The date run to date....although I do have another one in for grading, and two inbound from Geneva.👍

Love the internal fit out of this case. I assume it's a factory bought case? or customised? I'm looking for something similar to fit into an antique attache case...