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2 Reales Type VII Countermark
| Issuer | Costa Rica |
|---|---|
| Year | 1849-1857 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| 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 |
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| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
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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 | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | HABILITADA POR EL GOBIERNO (Translation: Enabled by the Government) |
| Reverse description | Reverse of the host British shilling of 1834, showing the denomination ONE SHILLING inscribed centrally within an ornate wreath composed of oak branches to the right and laurel branches to the left, tied at the base, surmounted by a royal crown. The date 1834 appears in the exergue below the wreath, all within a reeded border. |
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| Additional information |
Costa Rica lacked a functioning mint for much of the mid-nineteenth century, forcing the government to authenticate foreign silver coinage through a series of official countermarks rather than strike its own. The Type VII horse countermark was applied to Central American and South American 2 reales pieces in circulation, legally transforming foreign silver into domestic currency by decree.
The host coins vary considerably — Guatemalan, Colombian, and other regional issues all passed under the punch. Identifying the host is frequently as numismatically significant as the countermark itself.