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2 Reales Type VII Countermark
| Issuer | Government of Costa Rica |
|---|---|
| Year | 1849-1857 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
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| 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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| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | KM#77 |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | The reverse displays the original design of the host coin, a Central American Republic 2 Reales, featuring a radiant sun rising over a range of five volcanic mountains set within a plain, enclosed in an oval cartouche. The surrounding peripheral legend reads 'REPUBLICA DEL CENTRO DE AMERICA' in Latin script, separated by small dots, running along the full circumference within a raised rim. The date is visible in the lower exergual area of the host coin. The design reflects the coinage standard of the Federal Republic of Central America, upon which the Costa Rican countermark was applied. |
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| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
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| Additional information |
Costa Rica's mid-century monetary situation was genuinely chaotic. The young republic lacked a functioning mint capable of producing sufficient coinage, so the government authorized countermarking foreign silver — predominantly Central American Federation pieces and Spanish colonial cobs — to legitimize them for domestic circulation. The Type VII punch, applied from 1849 onward, was one of several successive countermark types introduced as earlier marks proved too easy to forge.
Forgeries of the countermark itself were a documented problem throughout the period, which is why authentication of the host coin's silver content matters as much as the punch.