Catalog
2 Reales Type III Counterstamp
| Issuer | Casa Nacional de Moneda de Costa Rica |
|---|---|
| Year | 1845 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 2 Reales |
| 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 |
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| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | The reverse of the host Spanish 2 Reales coin presents the crowned Royal Arms of Spain at center, comprising the quartered shield with the castles of Castile and the lions of León, flanked by the mint mark S (Seville) and the assayer's initial B to the left of the shield. The circumferential legend reads HISPAN ET IND REX (King of Spain and the Indies), interrupted by the royal crown above the shield. The entire design is enclosed within the original milled border. The reverse bears no Costa Rican counterstamp. |
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| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Log in to see details |
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| Additional information |
In 1845, Costa Rica lacked the infrastructure to mint its own coinage at scale, so the Casa Nacional de Moneda in San José applied counterstamps to existing Spanish colonial and Central American Federation silver to legitimize it for domestic circulation. The Type III counterstamp — a distinct punch variant within a series of similar authorizations — represents one of several attempts to regulate a monetary supply that was otherwise chaotic, flooded with worn and clipped foreign pieces of uncertain fineness.
The host coin beneath the stamp varies, which complicates cataloging considerably. KM#42 encompasses a range of host types, and the premium on any given example shifts substantially depending on the legibility and origin of the underlying planchet.