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1/4 Quetzal
| Issuer | Guatemala |
|---|---|
| Year | 1925 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Quetzal (1925-date) |
| 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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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Central device depicts a resplendent quetzal bird perched atop a classical column, symbolizing liberty and sovereignty. The fractional denomination '1/4' appears to the left of the column, with 'QUETZAL' inscribed along the lower field. The circular legend '- LEY DE 26 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 1924 -' arcs along the upper periphery, referencing the monetary law authorizing the coin's issue. |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Reeded |
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| Additional information |
Guatemala's 1925 coinage reform replaced the peso system with the quetzal, pegged at parity with the U.S. dollar under pressure from American banking interests and the United Fruit Company's dominance over the national economy. The fractional silver pieces issued that year were among the first physical expressions of the new currency, struck at the Philadelphia Mint under contract.
The .720 fine silver specification matched U.S. subsidiary coinage standards exactly — a deliberate alignment that facilitated exchange in a country where U.S. dollars already circulated freely alongside local issues.