50 Centavos 1859 YB
(Heritage Auctions, May, 2009)
Transitional Coinage 1858 - 1863
A law of 1857 authorized the issuance of regular fine coinage to supplant the Bolivian Monedas Feble infesting the country. The 1st design, a standing Liberty of 1858 was considered too simple to deter counterfeiting.This coin is labeled "9 DEC {IMOS} FINO" on the reverse. This is 9/12 = .750 finess and not .900 as stated in Krause. In early 1858 the price of silver was 9 pesos 6 reales per mark (wt of silver bullion) but in the latter half of the year the price of silver rose considerably above what the Government was willing to pay. H.P. Flatt writes "All of the seated Liberty 50 Centavos are relatively scarce..." However the price in Krause is only $145. for mint state.
Also I've always wanted a Seated half-dollar in nice mint state. Particularly at $65.
Un Sol, 1869 Lima
uncirculated
(Alex Seigle, Houston)
Un Sol, 1873 Lima
uncirculated, NGC-62
(possibly Karl Stephens, CA)
It appears that I paid $110. for it.
9 Decimos = .900 fine silver.
Mining in Peru was a principal source of wealth. The Silver Sol held it's value very well until this year of 1873
when it's value began to decline. The maximum value of the silver sol was in 1864 when it was worth 64 & 1/2 pennies.
A British pound was 20x12 or 240 pennies.
The issuance of silver sols was stopped in 1897 when it was only
worth 21.00 pence.
from Flatt, The Coins of Independent Peru, vol V, ch 6 "Fall of Silver" pp 57.
5 Pesteas, 1880 Lima
select uncirculated
(Karl Stephens)
col 3 end 1880 5P