Catalog
2 Reales Type III Counterstamp
| Issuer | Costa Rica |
|---|---|
| Year | 1845 |
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| Shape | Round |
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| Obverse description | The obverse bears the Costa Rican Type III counterstamp applied to the host coin's reverse field, consisting of a draped female effigy in left profile, her hair arranged in an upswept chignon, set within a dotted oval cartouche. The legend COSTA RICA arcs above the effigy within the stamp, while the denomination 2 R appears below. The counterstamp is struck over the original Spanish colonial milled coinage, with the underlying design of the host coin visible in the surrounding field. |
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| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
Costa Rica's provisional coinage of the 1840s was born from a chronic shortage of domestically struck currency. Rather than establish a full mint operation, authorities counterstamped existing South American coins — predominantly Colombian and Guatemalan issues — to legitimize them for local circulation. The Type III counterstamp, applied from 1845, introduced a revised punch to address concerns about the ease with which earlier types could be forged.
The host coin matters enormously here. Colombian 2 Reales hosts are most frequently encountered; Guatemalan hosts command a premium among specialists.