Catalog
50 Centésimos counterfeit
| Issuer | Uruguay |
|---|---|
| Year | 1877 |
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| Value | 50 Centésimos (0.50 UYP) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | 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 | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | The denomination 50 CENTESIMOS is displayed prominently in the center of the field within an open laurel and oak wreath tied at the base with a ribbon bow. The legend LIBRE Y CONSTITUIDA arches along the upper periphery. The mint mark letter A appears in the lower central field between the wreath branches, flanked by decorative stars, with the date 1877 inscribed below the wreath in the exergual area. The overall relief is characteristic of cast production, with softened details typical of a contemporary counterfeit. |
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| Mintage | 1877 A |
| Additional information |
Uruguay's 1877 silver coinage was struck at the Hamburg Mint under contract — the genuine 50 centésimos being a well-documented issue in .900 fine silver. This pewter piece is a contemporary counterfeit, almost certainly produced for circulation fraud rather than numismatic deception, at a time when Uruguay's monetary infrastructure was fragile enough that debased substitutes could pass undetected in daily commerce.
The choice of pewter is telling. It approximates silver's color superficially but at a fraction of the cost, and the 33mm diameter matches the host coin closely enough to survive casual handling. Contemporary counterfeits of South American silver from this decade are significantly underrepresented in reference literature.