In 1884, Puerto Rico faced a chronic shortage of legitimate circulating currency. The Spanish colonial administration authorized the counterstamping of foreign silver dollars — predominantly U.S. Trade Dollars and various Latin American pesos — with the Puerto Rico stamp to validate them for local circulation. The Trade Dollar had already been demonetized in the United States that same year, making the island one of its last sanctioned homes.
Genuine examples carry a crowned "P.R." punch. Forgeries of the counterstamp exist and were documented by contemporary authorities.
In 1884, Puerto Rico faced a chronic shortage of legitimate circulating currency. The Spanish colonial administration authorized the counterstamping of foreign silver dollars — predominantly U.S. Trade Dollars and various Latin American pesos — with the Puerto Rico stamp to validate them for local circulation. The Trade Dollar had already been demonetized in the United States that same year, making the island one of its last sanctioned homes.
Genuine examples carry a crowned "P.R." punch. Forgeries of the counterstamp exist and were documented by contemporary authorities.