Catalog
10 Reales White Metal Pattern
| Issuer | Republic of Paraguay |
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| Year | 1855 |
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| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
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| Obverse description | Central device depicts a seated lion facing right, positioned at the base of a tall staff surmounted by a radiant sun and a small bird, representing the Paraguayan national symbol. The motto PAZ Y JUSTICIA (Peace and Justice) is inscribed in two words flanking the staff across the field. The circular legend REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY runs along the periphery, divided left and right. The denomination 10 Rs. appears in a recessed panel at the bottom of the design, beneath a ground line. The entire composition is enclosed within a beaded border. |
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| Obverse lettering | REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY PAZ Y JUSTICIA 10 Rs (Translation: Republic of Paraguay Peace and Justice (National motto of Paraguay) 10 Reales) |
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| Additional information |
Paraguay in 1855 was still under the tightly controlled rule of Carlos Antonio López, who had only recently opened the country to limited foreign contact after decades of near-total isolation under his predecessor Francia. This pattern was almost certainly produced as part of López's broader effort to establish credible monetary infrastructure — Paraguay had no functioning domestic mint and relied heavily on foreign coinage. The piece never advanced to circulation, and production numbers were negligible by any measure.
The Pratt reference places it among a small cluster of Paraguayan pattern issues from this decade, most of which survive in single-digit quantities.