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2 Reales Type VII Countermark
| Issuer | Costa Rica |
|---|---|
| Year | 1849-1857 |
| Type | 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 |
| Shape | Round |
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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 |
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| Reverse description | The reverse displays the residual design of the host coin upon which the countermark was applied. The image shows the reverse of a British shilling, featuring a crowned shield flanked by a wreath composed of laurel on the left and oak on the right, tied with a ribbon at the base, with the denomination SHILLING inscribed across the centre and the date 1844 in the exergue. The host coin's original design remains partially visible beneath the effects of circulation and the countermarking process. |
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| Edge | Reeded |
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| Additional information |
Costa Rica's mid-century coinage crisis forced the government to countermark Spanish colonial and South American silver rather than strike original issues. The Type VII punch — applied between 1849 and 1857 — was one of several successive countermark types used as Guatemalan and Bolivian 2 reales circulated alongside domestically validated pieces, the distinctions between authorized and unauthorized strikes becoming increasingly difficult for ordinary commerce to navigate.
Host coin origin significantly affects both authenticity assessment and collector value. Bolivian hosts are the most frequently encountered; Guatemalan examples are considerably scarcer.