1/2 Decimo

Colombia's fractional silver coinage of this period was produced under chronic logistical strain — the Bogotá mint struggled throughout the 1860s and 1870s with inconsistent bullion supply and repeated equipment failures. The .666 fineness used here was a deliberate compromise, adopted because the federal government lacked both the refining capacity and the political cohesion to enforce a higher standard across the states of the Rionegro-era Granadine Confederation.

Hernández documents at least thirteen die varieties across the emission run, reflecting frequent recutting rather than any systematic redesign.