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1⁄16 Peso
| Issuer | Costa Rica |
|---|---|
| Year | 1850-1862 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1⁄16 Peso |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Log in to see details |
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| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Central device depicts the national coat of arms of Costa Rica, featuring a volcanic landscape between two oceans with a rising sun, enclosed within a wreath of branches and surmounted by a flagged staff. The heraldic shield is rendered in low relief and supported by the surrounding laurel-style wreath. A curved legend arcs across the upper field, with the date appearing in the lower exergue. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | REPUBLICA DE COSTA RICA 1855 (Translation: Republic of Costa Rica 1855) |
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| Additional information |
Costa Rica's fractional silver coinage of this period was struck under considerable institutional instability — the country cycled through multiple monetary reorganizations in the 1850s as it attempted to build a functioning national currency system following independence from the Central American Federation. The 1/16 peso denomination was a practical response to the chronic shortage of small change that plagued the region, where Spanish colonial fractions had long since disappeared from active circulation.
The .903 fineness matches the old Spanish colonial standard, a deliberate choice meant to maintain public confidence during a period when counterfeiting of minor silver was rampant in Central America.