Catalog
2 Centavos
| Issuer | Lima Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 1863-1895 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| 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 |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | The denomination DOS CENTAVOS is inscribed in two lines across the centre of the field in bold raised letters. The central legend is framed by a wreath composed of two cornucopiae filled with fruits and foliage, tied at the base with a ribbon bow, and joined at the top by leafy branches. The entire design is enclosed within a fine toothed border. |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | DOS CENTAVOS |
| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
Peru's switch to copper-nickel coinage in the 1860s was tied directly to the country's adoption of the decimal system under the monetary reform of 1863, which replaced the old real-based system with the sol. These small-denomination pieces bore the brunt of everyday transactions during a period when Peru's silver and guano export wealth rarely filtered down to street-level commerce.
The thirty-two year production run saw multiple die variations across the series, and later dates struck closer to 1895 coincide with the aftermath of the War of the Pacific — a conflict that left Peru's economy in tatters and the Lima Mint operating under severely constrained conditions.