Catalog
25 Centavos Piedfort
| Issuer | Republic of El Salvador |
|---|---|
| Year | 1861 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 25 Centavos (0.25) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Central coat of arms of El Salvador depicting a triangular cartouche enclosing a volcanic landscape beneath a radiant sun, flanked by laurel and oak branches forming a wreath at the base. A ribbon or decorative element surmounts the shield. The circular legend REPUBLICA DEL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL runs along the upper periphery, with the denomination 25 C inscribed in the lower field below the shield. |
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| Reverse lettering | REPUBLICA DEL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL 25 C (Translation: Republic of El Salvador in Central America 25 Centavos) |
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| Additional information |
El Salvador's monetary system in 1861 was barely a decade removed from the Central American Federation's collapse, and the country was still working out the practical mechanics of an independent coinage. Piedforts — struck at double or greater thickness on standard-diameter blanks — were produced at this period almost exclusively as presentation or pattern pieces for official approval, not for circulation. This example in brass almost certainly served as a submission piece to test die alignment and strike pressure before committing to silver production.
KM#P1 designation confirms it as the first catalogued piedfort for El Salvador, a country whose mid-nineteenth century numismatic output remains poorly documented.